The Merchant Of Venice w/ TA Oberman - Tour & Trafalgar

[threeletteracronym]

Saw this earlier on in the week - really enjoyed it, probably the third time I've seen Merchant of Venice (with very long intervals between so I dont claim to know it particularly well). I was grateful that it was cut (2hrs incl interval) but cant remember what was missing. I dont really like it as a play, the anti-semitism is too strong however much productions have tried to make it more palatable. I was tempted by this one because of the 1930s setting (I havent seen the Trevor Nunn 2001 film, which is remiss of me) and I wanted to see Tracy Ann Oberman's take on it.

TAO was off, unfortunately, as I was really looking forward to seeing her, but her replacement did an excellent job. I think Steve's comments from March are spot on. Parts of it were genuinely chilling. And there's a real disjunct between the non-Jewish characters who are often likeable - right up until they put on those armbands. I found that quite stomach-churning but agree there's a risk that it could make them seem 'acceptable'. Shylock was very understandably a bitter and angry person. Basically I didnt like any of them!

Shylock as a woman worked well for me and the programme had an interesting article about Licoricia of Winchester - whom I'd never heard of - which provides an historical context.

[Rory]

👀

[Dave B]

Criterion 15 Feb - 23 Mar.

www.londontheatredirect.com/play/the-merchant-of-venice-1936-tickets

[Being Alive]

Works as a slot filler I guess in the same vein of The Way Old Friends Do did - not a big lead in time though so imagine there'll be lots of offers to get bums on seats

[Rory]

I wonder if it's a short six week run as the Criterion has something else lined up for April, when Unbelievable had been due to finish?

[Marwood]

I saw the matinee performance of this yesterday (£35 for a front row seat through London Theatre Week): I think I might have seen a filmed version many years ago but this was certainly the first time I’d seen it on a stage: I enjoyed it a lot, and I couldn’t believe the anti semitism on show but something like this is more relevant now than at any point in the last 80 years but as with so many things these days the people in positions of power just look the other way and do nothing but as we’ve seen in recent years, antisemitism is coming back in a big way but is treated as a taboo subject and no one goes out of their way to do anything about it.

Anyway, sitting in the front row, me and a few people were asked to go on stage for the closing scene (a brief reenactment of the Battle Of Cable Street): thankfully we didn’t get given any lines to embarrass ourselves by mangling , just joining in with the chant ‘they shall not pass!’ A couple of the actors thanked me for going up on stage but it was so dark in there I could only see the first couple of rows and I can now go to the grave knowing I’ve been on stage in a West End show 🤣

[theatrenerd]

Just announced for the Birmingham Rep - 1 to 5 April next year. So assuming it will be part of another tour.

[Jon]

Jul 4, 2024 18:43:41 GMT theatrenerd said:

Just announced for the Birmingham Rep - 1 to 5 April next year. So assuming it will be part of another tour.

Tracy-Ann Oberman is doing a stint in EE so I assume it's a short one for her do another run of Merchant 1936 next year,

[lynette]

Jul 4, 2024 18:43:41 GMT theatrenerd said:

Just announced for the Birmingham Rep - 1 to 5 April next year. So assuming it will be part of another tour.

Hope so cos i would like to see it again and take people to see it. 

[Dave B]

Trafalgar Theatre
Sat 28 Dec 2024 - Sat 25 Jan 2025

www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-merchant-of-venice-1936/trafalgar-theatre/

[Talisman]

I am surprised at the a narrow view expressed here by people who have not seen or seem not likely to.

This is not a new production. It gives a very different perspective and unlike the idiotic gender changes for the sake of it at the Globe, the gender change makes sense within this production.

Whilst I didn’t find it perfect, it was a very interesting and rewarding evening.

[cavocado]

I will definitely be seeing this again. I found it very moving and thought-provoking and I'm glad it's had such a long life, hopefully sustained by plenty of school parties - a great production to take older children/teens to.

I'm surprised they're not doing stage seating at the Trafalgar. I saw it at Watford Palace last year where the on stage cafe-style seats worked really well.

I haven't seen the viewpoints Talisman refers to on here, but I agree that this is a well thought-through gender swap that fits with the historical setting and other characters. For me Shylock & Jessica worked especially well as a mother-daughter relationship.

[Jon]

I didn't get to see the run at the Criterion so thrilled it's returning for a stint at the Trafalgar.