Jose Solís takes a look at Desperate Measures:
Among all of Shakespeare's works, Measure for Measure stands out for being one of the most difficult to stage in modern days. Its misogynistic qualities rivaled only by those of The Taming of the Shrew, and yet that one often sneaks into theatrical seasons via its musical adaptation, Kiss Me, Kate which softens and often camouflages the most chauvinistic moments through Cole Porter's delirious music and lyrics. With its play-within-a-play framing, Kiss Me, Kate set the standard for how to do a "problem play," in a less icky way. Shakespeare's malleability has allowed for adaptations set in modern NYC, high schools, and animated films with talking animals, but the new musical Desperate Measures (opening tonight at New World Stages) is among the few that has filtered the Bard through the lens of the American Wild West. . . . |
