A Merchant of Venice - Playground Theatre

[Jan]

Anyone seen this ? Former RSC director Bill Alexander is involved. 

theplaygroundtheatre.london/events/merchantofvenice/

[cavocado]

There's some interesting info about the production in this rather rambling interview with Peter Tate, who is playing Shylock: www.jewishrenaissance.org.uk/jr-outloud/peter-tate

[londonpostie]

Thanks for putting this up. No idea where it was and either I'm drunk already or the website isn't too helpful.

Fwiw, North Ken, under the Westway a bit. Latimer Road or Ladbroke Grove tube seem best?

Harold Pinter is not far away if anyone fancies an Autumn stroll: www.theoldie.co.uk/article/at-rest-in-the-harrow-road

[Someone in a tree]

I thought it was good. Cast of 6 six, the plot remains and it zips along at under 2 hrs.

Nice venue and good production values.

[Jan]

Nov 19, 2021 8:39:58 GMT Someone in a tree said:

I thought it was good. Cast of 6 six, the plot remains and it zips along at under 2 hrs.

Nice venue and good production values.

I agree with that in general. There are so many cuts it is really just a summary of the play although all the text is Shakespeare. But beyond that it is very straightforward and conventional which is not particularly to my taste as I prefer a strong directorial concept and interpretation. However, it is a good chance to see the play which is done quite infrequently and I suspect given its subject matter will become even rarer in the future.  

[lynette]

Nov 25, 2021 7:21:02 GMT Jan said:

Nov 19, 2021 8:39:58 GMT Someone in a tree said:

I thought it was good. Cast of 6 six, the plot remains and it zips along at under 2 hrs.

Nice venue and good production values.

I agree with that in general. There are so many cuts it is really just a summary of the play although all the text is Shakespeare. But beyond that it is very straightforward and conventional which is not particularly to my taste as I prefer a strong directorial concept and interpretation. However, it is a good chance to see the play which is done quite infrequently and I suspect given its subject matter will become even rarer in the future.  

We’ve put up with this play for centuries now. It is always such hard work especially post WWII to contextualise, to explain, to do the detailed analysis and the irony stuff and to have the actors interviewed and apologetic and unapologetic and Jewish and non Jewish. It is very hard work. I wouldn’t blame future companies if it just slid into the library shelf and never came out again. But it is brilliant to teach to a’diverse’ group of teenagers. Or should be.