Shakespeare RAW: Measure for Measure
Schedule
Mon Apr 14 2025 at 07:00 pm to 10:00 pm
UTC-05:00Location
Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery | Milwaukee, WI
"The miserable have no other medicine; But only hope." And beer. Lots, and lots of beer.Hello again loyal Bard-flies, time to the dirty streets of Vienna for the wild and sexy romp "Measure for Measure". And of course, it wouldn't be us if we didn't do it in our signature style "Shakespeare RAW"
How does it work? I'm glad you asked.
A group of actors arrive the day of the show having read (or at least skimmed) the script so they are at passingly familiar with the text. Then, they pull a character name from the casting director (aka the Hat) to learn who they will be playing that night. They then have approximately 10 minutes to get into character (read: grab a drink) and get ready for their first scene. And the next one. And the one after that. You get the idea.
"But I'm not familiar with the play" you say, well, here's the gist:
Depravity and sexual licence have become an issue in Vienna and the Duke Vincentio, who has decided to take a break from ruling, appoints Angelo to rule in his absence, assisted by a trusted councillor, Escalus. The first thing Angelo does is pronounce that he is going to enforce the immorality laws to try and stamp out the epidemic of ‘loose’ living. A citizen, Claudio, has got his fiancée, Juliet, pregnant. He is tried and sentenced to death. His sister, Isabella, who lives in a convent, about to take her vows as a nun, hears the news. She hurries to Angelo to beg for mercy on behalf of her brother. Angelo denies her request but as she persists he is overwhelmed by lust for her and tells her he will think about it, and that she should return the next day to hear his verdict. She goes back the next day and he tells her that he will pardon her brother if she will have sex with him. The Duke Vincentio, in the meantime, has not left Vienna but disguised himself as an itinerant friar and is moving about among the people to observe the effect of Angelo’s rule. He tells Juliet to prepare for Claudio’s death, assuring her that there is no way around it.
I know it sounds heavy, but it's a comedy, I swear!
You'll have three opportunities to catch this spectacle, April 14th, 15th, and 16th all at 7:30. Doors officially open at 7pm.
The location? Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery. Yeah, the one that looks like a castle. We're doing Shakespeare in a CASTLE!!! A castle with on-street parking. When there isn’t a Bucks game or a nearby concert anyway.
Cost is $10 at the door or $5 with a measuring device. You’ve got plenty of options here but, well, there is a nun in this play and that may make a specific, easy-to-carry measuring device come to mind. Just everyone protect your knuckles during the show. No matter what you bring you'll have an extra 5 bucks to spend at the bar.
And let's party! But not necessarily too hardy, for "Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful."
Where is it happening?
Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, 917 W Juneau Ave,Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
