If you think you know Shakespeare’s most enduring classic, then think again. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 1936 is a ground-breaking new production starring TRACY-ANN OBERMAN. Tracy-Ann is no stranger to these South Wales parts as she has been in Doctor Who, and of course Eastenders and Friday Night Dinner.
This tour, which gets to the New Theatre in Cardiff from tomorrow, is directed and adapted by Brigid Larmour from an idea by Tracy-Ann herself who is the co-creator on this project.
Tracy-Ann told us………
“It has a been a lifelong dream of mine to bring this play to the stage in a new way, reimagining Shylock as one of the tough, no-nonsense Jewish matriarchs I grew up around. I am delighted this project is finally happening, and look forward to sparking debate and enlightening people about a pivotal but largely forgotten part of British history – just how close the establishment were to Oswald Mosley and his British Union Of Fascists.
I started my career in the Swan RSC back in 1992 and so to play there again as Shylock is a ‘pinch me’ moment.
I cannot wait to take this important, sharp, sexy and heartfelt production to theatres around the country.”
‘If you prick us do we not bleed? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?’
This thought-provoking and timely reimagining relocates the action to an electrifying new setting; London in 1936. With the city on the brink of political unrest, fascism sweeping across Europe and Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists threatening a paramilitary march through the Jewish East End, strong-willed single mother Shylock runs a pawnbroking business from her house in Cable Street where Mosley will march. When charismatic, antisemitic aristocrat Antonio comes to her for a loan, a high-stakes deal is struck. Will Shylock take her revenge, and who will pay the ultimate price?
Reprising their roles alongside Tracy-Ann, are Hannah Morrish (Antony and Cleopatra, Father Brown) who will play Portia, Raymond Coulthard(Emmerdale, Hotel Babylon) in the roles of Antonio and Arragon, Jessica Dennis (The Habit of Art) as Mary and Nerissa , Xavier Starr (The Mechanicals Presents… Macbeth or Julius Caesar) as Gratiano, Priyank Morjaria(Romeo & Juliet, Kettled) as Lorenzo and Maharajah, as well as Alex Zur (Hamlet, A Level Playing Field) as Tuba, Duke, Waiter, and Valet.
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 1936 opens tomorrow at the New Theatre in Cardiff running through to Saturday 4th November. Performances are at 7:30pm each evening with a 2:30pm matinee on Thursday and Saturday. The captioned performance is the Saturday matinee. For more details and tickets, go HERE.
