The last time I checked, incest between a brother and sister was still considered relatively abhorrent.

So it naturally comes as a surprise that the Cheek by Jowl production of John Ford’s 17th century tragedy ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore feels compelled to ratchet up the shock value. Featuring enough male partial nudity to qualify as a Chippendale’s revue, Declan Donnelan’s fussy staging is filled with the sort of high-concept directorial touches that call attention to everything but, uh, the text.

Upon entering the BAM Harvey Theater, my heart sunk immediately upon sighting the set depicting a woman’s bedroom complete with blood-red bed and posters of Gone With the Wind, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and True Blood adorning the walls.

The room is inhabited by the young and sexy Annabella (Lydia Wilson), who is being ardently wooed by her love-struck brother Giovanni (Jack Gordon). When she succumbs to his advances—he’s hard to resist when he strips down to his black boxer-briefs—it results in the inevitable complications, including pregnancy. Even if you’re not familiar with the play, you can probably guess that things don’t turn out well. In the case of this particularly carnage-minded dramatist, it also means that internal organs will eventually be removed from their bodies.

You’d best be familiar with the convoluted plot before going in, because it’s rendered fairly incomprehensible here despite the elimination of several subplots and supporting characters that reduce the running time to a mere two hours.

From the opening interpretive dance accompanied by throbbing electronic music to the male characters’ endless stripping down to their underwear—don’t worry, the lissome Wilson frequently bares her body as well—to the absurd anachronisms, the production is consistently ridiculous. Worse, it constantly presents the meanings of the play rather than the play itself, as if not trusting modern audiences to grasp its essential truths.

The uneven acting is another problem, although the British ensemble handles the verse well. The only standout performances come from Suzanne Burden as the vengeful widow Hippolita and Lizzie Hopley as the all-seeing maid, Putana, although both actresses are forced to contend with some unfortunate costuming.

Another play by Ford, The Broken Heart, was presented earlier this season in a vividly stark, powerful production from Theater for a New Audience that proved that his works don’t need such gimmickry to resonate. Like that play, ‘Tis Pity is very rarely seen on our shores. ‘Tis pity, then, that this is the version we get.

Harvey Theater, Brooklyn Academy of Music, 651 Fulton St. 718-636-4100. www.bam.org. Through March 31.