Measure For Measure (Cheek By Jowl, Pushkin Theatre Moscow)

As a scattershot of industrial clatter fades into the distance, a flock of people stalk onto the stage, moving in slow deliberate arcs, stone-faced, apathetic and prowling. Occasionally an individual peels off from this murmuration only to be confronted by the dead-eyed pack. The inference is clear: you're either with us or against us; in with the in-crowd or out on a limb. This silent opening statement could be viewed as a microcosm of Shakespeare's darkly comedic "problem play" about corruption, coercion and spiritual-sexual infidelity, Measure for Measure. It certain sets the tone for this collaborative production by Britain's Cheek by Jowl and Moscow's Pushkin Theatre, performed entirely in Russian.

With the added filter of surtitles (occasionally scrolling past at unintelligible speed) keeping the audience at arm's length from the Bard's poetry, this staging ceases to be about language (for an English speaking audience, at least) and becomes driven entirely by the emotional and, perhaps more importantly, physical intensity of the performances. Sidelining Shakespeare's words might sound like taking a sacred cow to slaughter, but remarkably, this vigorously expressive production, that often blisters with disturbing intent, is surprisingly instructive about the darkness this narrative can conjure.

In Vienna, the governing Duke (Alexander Arsentyev) hands over his power to a strict and conservative judge, Angelo (Andrei Kuzichev), and then vanishes. Angelo institutes new laws to impose his moral values, shutting down the cities brothels and other dens of inequity. Claudio (Kiryl Dytsevich), an upstanding man, is caught in the crossfire of Angelo's crusade against filth, sentenced to death for getting his nearly-wife Juliet (Anastasia Lebedeva) pregnant, technically out of wedlock. Claudio's sister Isabella (Anna Khalilulina) attempts to plead for her brother's life, only for Angelo to make an indecent proposal for her virginity. The play then enters its central ethical conundrum - what is more precious in this earthly life than our immortal soul? Is life more valuable than heavenly salvation? Is justice a right or an indulgence?

Not that any Shakespeare text could be considered obscure, but Measure for Measure certainly ranks amongst the least beloved, largely because its convoluted story and moral ambiguity can feel uneasy and rudderless. British director Declan Donnellan manages this issue by infusing overtones of contemporary autocracy, riffing on notions of collective experience and isolation, as the cast fracture and churn around Nick Ormerod's industrial, faintly Soviet-era stage, dotted with a collection of giant red cubes.

This silent chorus sometimes lingers, sometimes shuns, but always observes - a society complicit in its own subjugation. This emotionally inert congregation is counterpointed by the emotional extremes of the shifting protagonists. Each character is crafted with innovative flare, refocusing many of the interpersonal dynamics. The Duke, rather than a benevolent assessor is more of an irresponsible, unaccountable power broker. Angelo is transformed from a pinched, byzantine letch to a chilling, predatory sociopath.

No doubt Shakespeare purists will find the disconnection with the text problematic and those new to this play are unlikely to fall in love with it in this guise. Nonetheless, this production illuminates many thought-provoking resonances. The acting is consistently polished, but Anna Khalilulina as Isabella delivers an especially noteworthy and deeply affecting account. Donnellan pushes her unnerving encounter with Angelo to its most graphic conclusion; a sexual assault that just stops short of full-blown intercourse while still being a complete violation. It is uncomfortable to watch, bordering on gratuitous, and yet it feels entirely necessary to make a prescient observation. In the era of "grab 'em by the pussy" via the hypocrisy of alt-righteous moralising and petulant tweets, it is horribly believable that authoritarians are capable of using their power to target individuals. Isabella's refusal to submit no longer stands as an act of piety, but rather a political protest, in which an individual woman challenges a patriarchy. Suddenly the relevance of this text to a contemporary audience is unignorable - we are all Isabella, abused, outmatched, but hopefully defiant.

Cheek By Jowl and Pushkin Theatre Moscow present Measure For Measure, until 11 Jan at the Roslyn Packer Theatre, part of the Sydney Festival.