Theatre at the chateau...always fun!

 

This year's fun and frolics at Chateau de La Guerche should be interesting!

Measure for Measure is a dark comedy by William Shakespeare about justice, mercy, and moral hypocrisy. It follows a strict ruler named Angelo who sentences a young man to death for premarital sex, then demands sexual favors from the man’s nun sister in exchange for his life.

Key Plot Points

The Duke's Departure: Duke Vincentio leaves Vienna and puts the rigid Angelo in charge, pretending to leave town but actually staying behind disguised as a friar. 
The Arrest: Angelo strictly enforces an old law and sentences Claudio to death for getting his fiancée Juliet pregnant. 
The Corrupt Bargain: Claudio’s sister Isabella, a novice nun, begs Angelo for mercy. Angelo agrees to spare Claudio only if Isabella sleeps with him.  
The Deception: Isabella refuses. The disguised Duke intervenes, setting up a "bed trick" where Angelo’s abandoned former fiancée Mariana takes Isabella's place in the dark. 
The Resolution: Angelo breaks his promise and orders Claudio executed anyway, but the Duke saves him. The Duke reveals his identity, exposes Angelo's hypocrisy, and forces him to marry Mariana before handing out pardons.
This was 2024's performance 'Ubu roi' by Alfred Jarry.