Last night we once again found ourselves in the courtyard of our neighbour Château de La Guerche, watching an outdoor production of Shakespeare's Mesure pour mesure (Measure for Measure).
The setting could hardly have been more appropriate. The château's stone walls and towers as usual forming the natural stage set, their centuries-old presence lending extra weight to a play preoccupied with power, justice and the uneasy balance between the rules we impose on others and those we apply to ourselves.
Watching Shakespeare in French was, linguistically at least, well beyond us. Yet, as with previous productions by the Théâtre du Perron, a basic familiarity with the story meant the language soon became secondary as the visual expressions and staging carried much of the drama, allowing the performance to be appreciated in a different way.
In this production, the moral tension at the heart of the play felt especially strong. Angelo's uncompromising virtue, Isabella's unwavering integrity, our standout performance of the evening and the Duke's elaborate (?) games of disguise and judgement unfolded against the solid, unchanging backdrop of a château that has we are sure witnessed centuries of changing rulers and shifting ideas of justice.
There was an added resonance in hearing debates about mercy, authority and punishment within walls that have themselves survived wars, revolutions and the steady passage of history.
Outdoor theatre has a character all its own. As darkness fell, the illuminated stonework became part of the production. The actors' voices carried effortlessly across the courtyard, and when the play explored its darker themes, abuse of authority, hypocrisy and moral compromise, the historic setting amplified the atmosphere without ever overwhelming the performance.
The Théâtre du Perron has been staging classical theatre at La Guerche since 2019, making imaginative use of the château itself as an integral part of each production. It is an approach that transforms a historic monument into a living performance space rather than simply a backdrop.
For a three hours, Shakespeare's Vienna and southern Touraine seemed to occupy the same world. The language may have been French, the play English but the questions Shakespeare asks about justice, mercy and human nature needed no translation.
Measure for Measure is often described as one of Shakespeare's 'problem plays', occupying the uncertain ground between comedy and tragedy. Under the open sky at La Guerche, for us those ambiguities felt particularly alive. After the final scene, the cast returned with an exuberant musical finale, their evident enjoyment reflected in the audience's enthusiastic applause.
This is now the sixth production we've seen here and it has become one of the highlights of our Loire Valley summers. Big shout out to the cast, musical ensemble and family for another lovely evening.
Last performance tonight.
