One of my favourite productions of 2007 was Benedict Andrews’s stunning revival of Patrick White’s ‘The Season Of Sarsaparilla’ at the Drama Theatre of the Sydney Opera House. The set featured a revolve stage with two adjoining houses and Andrews used hidden video cameras to capture the actors expressions and their movements around the houses.

With his current Company B production of Shakespeare’s ‘Measure for Measure’ Andrews employs the same multi-media/video technique and even extends on it. The set (designed by Ralph Myers) is again a revolve with the setting this time hotel rooms. In this production we get to see the actors on stage using hand-held cameras as well as hidden cameras to give audiences intimate and powerful insights as the drama unfolds on stage.

The Bard’s last comedy, ‘Measure for Measure’ features an intriguing storyline. Vincentio, the Duke of Vienna, decides that he needs time out to get some perspective on his rule and how his beloved city is going. He hands over power to his deputy Angelo and goes ‘undercover’ to see how things will go. To the Duke’s despair, it isn’t long before things go increasingly downhill.

Andrews production was very accessible Shakespeare with the action so fast paced, immediate and visual that any problems with the ‘old English’ of Shakespeare just falls away.

The director won strong performers from his large cast of sixteen. Robert Menzies as the Duke, Colin Moody as Barnadine, Robyn McLeavy as Isabella and Maeve Dermody as Francisca were stand-outs.

This Company B production plays upstairs at Belvoir Street until Sunday 25th July, 2010.

16th June, 2010