Measure for Measure takes place in Vienna, a city beset with brothels and loose morality, that is besieged with a syphilis pandemic. Egger sets his production in the hallway of a small Christian hospital in the late 1980s. A custodian takes on the role of The Duke, who refuses to clean up the city, and quickly spins his fantasy, enlisting those around him—head nurse, resident, chaplain—to fill out the roles. Though the story unfolds in 17th-century Vienna, the theatrical machinery is drawn entirely from the world of the hospital. As the play progresses, the hospital is overwhelmed, though for the staff, the chaos and misery have become routine.

“In Shakespeare’s work, games of pretend are often a source of levity,” says director Egger. “Here, though, we see the toll that fantasies take. This is a story about the Duke—a powerful figure—spinning illusions. For him, these are merely games, but for his subjects, they are devastating. Measure for Measure brims with contradictions and complexities, which is why the themes and structure of the play have been troubling for audiences. It confounds me—and that’s precisely why we’re working on it.”