The Bard, done right, is a bonafide good time, and a good time is had at Simon Godwin’s production of Measure for Measure at Theater for a New Audience's Polonsky Shakespeare Center. Hey, if you can’t depend on a satisfying evening from a Shakespeare done by a reputable company, what can you depend on?

As it is with all Shakespeare, the taste is in the take, and I was all about their take on this excellent, though curiously out of vogue, play. Like the best of takes, the production emphasizes a theme -- here, the lecherous air of the times -- and develops a reading around it. Though Godwin's production may not do much to broaden the horizons of the play, and, yes, got a li'l gimmicky (only prudes find dildos funny), it certainly tells an awesome story well.

Let me quickly recap the plot: a to-be nun appeals to a seemingly air-tight judge to save her brother, and chaos ensues. While this skeleton  keeps the play standing on two feet, this production distinguishes itself with some seriously great acting.

First and most importantly, our nun gets the job done. Cara Ricketts' performance as Isabella has absolutely no scent of pixie in her and totally embodies the badass the character can be. Her piety and intellectual engineering is detailed but not overwhelming; there is great depth within her few character choices. It’s a seamless performance, light-handed but churning.

Second, and most interesting, is the work of Thomas Jay Ryan as Angelo, the judge with the legendarily tight asshole. One of the crucial moments of the play is Angelo's corruption, when he gives into his desires. I found this representation seemed purposefully shallow, the usual tormented internal conflict replaced by a sort of giddy sinking into his lust. The choice is compelling and totally justified: in this lecherous universe, the dark, steamy side is easy to sink into.

Third, and perhaps most enjoyable, Jonathan Cake as Duke Vicentio really shone, fulfilling his destiny as the protagonist of the play. Angelo and Isabella always steal the show -- they get the best scenes, after all -- but here the Duke is much more than the somewhat awkward guide through the plot that he often is: he is conflicted and confident and changing, and Cake’s performance is dynamic and physical.

Watching Shakespeare is rewarding because the works are rich with characters and dynamics and scenarios that cross-mingle morally and ethically and emotionally, creating a web of a good time. Theater of a New Audience’s Measure for Measure certainly fulfills all of this in their own charming way. I couldn't ask for much more.