As you look through the images from past productions of Measure for Measure, think about:

• The size and scale of the prison and the number of arrests that are happening. How have different productions worked to show that the prisons are more full under Angelo than they were before? How is this new regime and its impact shown in the prison setting?
• Most of these images focus on the scene in which the Provost and the friar send the wrong head to Angelo to convince him that Claudio has been executed. These scenes can sometimes be comical, but how do they create a sense of the reality in the prison? How do they make you feel about Claudio and Isabella's plight and about Angelo?
• How different productions show the types of people present in the prison. One sign that the prisons are over-populated is the way in which Pompey is given the chance to train as an assistant to the executioner. It also suggests the executioner needs more help than ever before, but creates an interesting dynamic between criminals now in positions of trust, criminals who have always been imprisoned and the wardens and authorities witnessing these changes. How is this shown in these different productions? Is it clear who is professional and who is not?

How would you choose to stage this world and what choices would you make to help show recent changes and dynamics?

As you look through the images from past productions of Measure for Measure, think about:

• The duke's disguise. In the images of the duke dressed as a friar, how has his outward appearance been changed? Do you think this works as an effective disguise? Being dressed this way helps the duke to gain access to the prison, where the prisoners might need or want prayer and religious guidance.
• The presentation of the Poor Clares and Isabella. Several of these images show the nuns at the convent in the opening scenes of the play, when Isabella learns what has happened to Claudio. How have different productions sought to show the strict nature of the order and Isabella's commitment? In what ways does this contrast with the world of the brothels and the prison that the play also shows? Is there a contrast in colour, costume or lighting that draws out the comparison between the immoral and the morally righteous world of religion?
• How would you choose to create a contrast or comparison between the convent and the religious world that Isabella inhabits and the world of the streets and the brothels? Religion and a sense of morality motivates so many of the characters, including Angelo and Isabella, so how would you try to show the presence of 'faith' and religion in your staging of the play? How important might the duke's disguise be in reminding the audience of that influence?

As you look through the images from past productions of Measure for Measure, think about:

• What appearance both women have. Can their costumes reflect their different characters? What qualities do Mariana and Isabella have that could be shown in how they look?
• Whether some productions are very different or if there are lots of similarities. In the 2019 production, which was set in Vienna in the 1900s, the design team chose very different looks for Isabella and Mariana in Act 5 Scene 1 - from their colour schemes to their hair styles. What effect do you think this has?
• How the two women behave physically onstage. Who do we notice more when they are together? How can a director change that by placing them differently on stage? Think about how their relationship develops as the events of the play unfold. Does Isabella feel sorry for Mariana? Does Mariana get stronger? How could you show this physically to an audience and in which moments?

As you look through the images from past productions of Measure for Measure, think about:

• The number of people in the scene. Lucio offers a lot of asides in this scene, encouraging Isabella to talk to Angelo and persuade him. How obvious is his presence and who else is in the room? How much of the focus is on Angelo and Isabella and what does this reveal about them?
• How Angelo and Isabella both look. What clues have the costume department offered about their characters through their appearance? In the 2019 production, for example, Angelo is dressed in his official clothing and is listening to a number of petitions which emphasises his responsibility in this scene, and his position as a figure of authority who should be supporting citizens not condemning them. What effect does this have?
• How would you choose to stage this moment and what choices would you make to help show the underlying motives of both central characters? How important is their audience, including Lucio, and how might you show this?