Pop Up Globe Auckland – Measure For Measure

Last updated on 2 February 2025

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The Pop-Up Globe’s ‘Measure for Measure’ was brilliant

Once again we were attendees of the Pop Up Globe‘s spectacular performance of a Shakespearean play. This time round, we went to see Measure for Measure. I had no idea what the story was about, but after a quick recap from a friend, we had the general gist of what we were meant to be seeing, and could follow a bit more easily.

The story of Measure for Measure

In short, the Duke of Vienna is off somewhere, so he leaves Lord Angelo in charge of a city that is full of brothels. Angelo decides the city is too immoral, so he starts shutting down the brothels, and setting up some laws.

Angelo wastes no time in arresting Claudio because Claudio got his lady friend preggers when they weren’t married. Claudio is sentenced to death as a warning to the other people of Vienna. The story goes on to follow Isabelle, Claudio’s sister, trying to plead for her brother’s release, the Duke who is actually disguised as a blind monk and has gone undercover in the city, Angelo who has growing feelings for Isabelle, and poor Claudio who doesn’t know if he’s going to die or not.

You can read the full synopsis of Measure for Measure on handy dandy SparkNotes.

It’s a very funny play, with things going wrong left, right and centre, and a whole cast of ridiculous characters who grow even more ridiculous as the play goes on. Despite it being highly crass, it was brilliantly done and incredibly fun to attend. The costumes were beautiful, the acting superb, and the dance numbers highly enjoyable.

Have you seen the Pop-Up Globe Measure for Measure performance? Or somewhere else?