Desperate Measures (International City Theatre’s 2025 Production) Theatre Review

production photo by Jordan Gohara

The International City Theatre’s season opened this past weekend with the Los Angeles area premiere of Desperate Measures, a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Measure For Measure, written by Peter Kellogg, with music by David Friedman. I suppose it’s become a commonplace that Shakespeare is always relevant, but that doesn’t make it any less true, as is evident by this production and the audience’s enthusiastic response. This play takes much of the plot of Measure For Measure, and sets the action in the American west of the late 1800s, when the law wasn’t always quite lawful, when those in positions of power used those positions to their own benefit (that certainly sounds familiar now, doesn’t it?). This production stars Gabbie Adner as Susanna (the Isabella character of Measure For Measure), Aaron Gibbs as Johnny Blood (Claudio of Measure For Measure), Christopher Karbo as Governor Von Richterhenkenpflightgetruber (Shakespeare’s Angelo), Daniel A. Stevens as Sheriff Martin Green (Duke Vincentio in Measure For Measure, with a bit of Lucio’s part too), Madison Miyuki Sprague as Bella Rose (a combination of Mariana and Juliet), and Jason Whitton as Father Morse (an expanded role of the two friars in Shakespeare’s play).

As the performance begins, Bella Rose presents a brief introduction, saying that this work was “adapted for your pleasure/From something called ‘Measure For Measure.’” She also makes reference to the fact that that work is considered “a problem play” and lets the audience know that they’ve cut out half the plot. It’s a funny way to get everyone on the same page with regards to expectations, and Madison Miyuki Sprague is adorable in her delivery. The dialogue of this play is presented in rhyming couplets, which works perfectly with the material and also makes it so the segues into the musical numbers are smooth and natural (something that is not always the case with musicals). For the first musical number, the actors hold frames in front of their faces with character designations at the bottom, such as “Sheriff” and “Governor,” further helping the audience know who is who from the outset, as well as helping set the time and place. By the end of that first number, Johnny Blood is in prison, where he is soon joined by an inebriated priest who no longer believes in the teachings of his own religion. His words of comfort offered to Johnny are: “There is no next life. Once we’re dead, we’re dead.” True words, but hilarious coming from a man of the cloth, and Jason Whitton does a wonderful job delivering them. The priest’s advice to Johnny is to “enjoy life while you can,” to which Johnny replies that he’s going to hang in two days.

Interestingly, when we first meet Susanna (who aims to become Sister Mary Jo), she is aiming a rifle at an annoying crow (well, perhaps not directly at the crow – her aim isn’t quite accurate), further showing that those in religion and government are perhaps less than sincere in their beliefs. Later she is even ready, perhaps eager, to kill a person. The Sheriff has come to see if she might plead on her brother Johnny’s behalf. At first, the most she offers to do is “pray for his immortal soul,” which of course is doing nothing at all, leading the Sheriff to sing, “The more I live, the more I see/Humankind ain’t kind,” and that justice isn’t just. Those lines certainly ring true today, when a convicted felon not only escaped any kind of justice, but managed to become President. Go figure. As the Sheriff sings, “That’s just how it is.” The Governor is clearly the villain of the piece. We know it immediately by his accent. And in his first song, he sings, “Someday they will thank me/For purging those who aren’t our cup of tea.” I know the Trump cult members will be unable to see themselves in those lines, and in this character (let’s face it, they probably don’t attend the theatre anyway), but it is very clear to those in the audience, even before the Governor adds, “Make Long Beach great again,” as he signs an audience member’s program. That line gets an appreciative laugh.

Susanna, like Isabella in Measure For Measure, is ready to give up her suit to the Governor quickly, until the Sheriff convinces her to try again. Then Susanna sings “Look In Your Heart” to him. It is when she gets down on her knees and touches his hand that something does stir within the Governor’s heart, though not quite what Susanna had in mind. Susanna is slow to catch on. When he flat-out tells her, “You must serve my passion for one night,” she responds innocently, “You want me to cook for you?” When she finally understands what he means, she is understandably upset and tells him he can’t do that. He announces that he’ll get away with this because of his position of power, and we in the audience can’t help but think he’s right since we’ve seen it happen in our time. Susanna tells him, “People like you, Governor, are why I turned my back on the world.” This is serious stuff, to be sure, but this is a comedy and there are plenty of laughs, as when the Governor attempts to get the audience on his side, accusing folks of being willing to do just what he’s doing were they in his position. But the audience was not so easily swayed.

One of the elements of Measure For Measure which leads to the work’s designation as a problem play is the bed trick, in which Mariana takes the place of Isabella in Angelo’s bed, unbeknownst to Angelo. However, in that play Mariana does have some claim to Angelo. In Desperate Measures, because Bella Rosa is both Mariana and Juliet (Claudio’s beloved), the bed trick has a somewhat different tone. Johnny encourages Susanna to try it, not realizing his own girlfriend will be the one to sleep with the Governor. One of the production’s best songs is “It Doesn’t Hurt To Try,” a funny number in which the Sheriff and Johnny appeal to Susanna to go forward with the plan. The saloon where Bella Rosa works, by the way, is called Wild Will’s, a little nod to Shakespeare. Bella Rosa herself delivers another entertaining number, going out into the audience and directly engaging with a few people, that itself having a very Shakespearean vibe. And her reaction to the bed trick proposition is hilarious, as she has not the slightest hesitation, and even mentions that she has the costumes at the ready. The Governor enters to a variation of that famous theme from Carmen. The music, by the way, is wonderful. The musicians are stationed upstage left, as there is no orchestra pit. And the actors all have strong voices, with a particularly excellent performance by Gabbie Adner. While the bed trick is normally an off-stage matter in Measure For Measure, in Desperate Measures we are treated to at least the beginning of it, as it presents the opportunity for quite a bit of comedy, including the trouble Susanna has in getting the Governor to agree to tending to the business with the lights off. Christopher Karbo is especially good here.

In this play the bed trick itself does not present a complete solution to the troubles, but instead complicates things further, as the Governor now believes himself in love with Susanna and refuses to honor the agreement to pardon her brother unless she marries him. His delivery of the line “Call me Otto” is hilarious and adorable. This leads to another plan, and so more wild shenanigans. Meanwhile, Johnny and Bella Rosa have a delightful musical number, “Just For You,” another of the production’s highlights. The play contains references to other Shakespeare plays, as when the Sheriff mentions Hamlet’s famous line to Horatio, and the Priest then delivers the line about there being more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy. The Priest also quotes Henry The Fifth, saying “Once more unto the breach.” It’s interesting, because if these characters are aware of Shakespeare’s work, wouldn’t they then be aware of Measure For Measure, and find it odd that their situation paralleled those of that play’s characters? Well, no matter, for this is a completely enjoyable production, moving at a good pace and offering many laughs as well as a thing or two to think about.

This production of Desperate Measures was directed by Todd Nielsen, with musical direction by Daniel Gary Busby. It runs through March 9, 2025. Visit the theatre’s website for the full schedule. There is one intermission. International City Theatre is located at 330 E. Seaside Way in Long Beach, California.