Desperate Measures new musical based on Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure

Desperate Measures, is a  new musical based on Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, set in London in the ‘swinging sixties’ against a backdrop of starchy middle class morality and hypocrisy in a country on the verge of Beatlemania and the sexual and social permissiveness that we know today. It has is world premiere  is at the Jermyn Street Theatre from 24 November - 20 December 2015 (press night  27^th November 2015 )

This is the world of Profumo, Christine Keeler & the Kray twins.  Depravity and sexual licence are widespread. Members of parliament rub shoulders with glamour models and  journalists are all too happy to take bribes.

MP, Simon Di Angelo, in an attempt to stop the tide of ‘wickedness’ he sees permeating every corner of life decides to revive the Sexual Congress Act. Pop singer Milo Feather breaks the law by getting his girlfriend pregnant and is condemned to hang under  the new morality laws. His sister Isobel, a novice nun, sets out to rescue him. But she’s about to take holy orders, and the stakes will threaten all that she lives for.

Desperate Measures stars Ellie Nunn as Isobel. Gatsby (Arts Theatre), Shakespeare in Love (Noel Coward Theatre), Lady Windermere's Fan (Kings Head Theatre), Bombshells (Jermyn Street Theatre,) and  The Last Laundress of Queensway (the Drayton Arms). Her film credits include ‘The Brief History’, ‘Untimely Death of George III’ and ‘Cracks’.


The cast  includes Harry Al-Adwani, Angharad George-Carey, Emily-Rose Hurdiss, Alice Jay, Jojo Macari, Callum Macdonald, Charlie Merriman, Timothy Patten, Tosin Thompson, and  James Wilson.

The Script by Robin Kingsland with Lyrics by Robin Kingsland & Chris Barton and Music by Chris Barton. Design is by Dee Shulman and the Musical Director  is Jordan Li-Smith.

Tickets for Desperate Measures