By William Shakespeare
Bell Shakespeare Company at Atheneaum 1, until 3 July, 1999
It is certainly a novelty to witness a production of
Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice riddled with adolescent jokes, sexual innuendo
and anachronistic costumes. The novelty rapidly wears thin.
Fortunately, the final acts lean less heavily on silliness
and Richard Wherrett's direction has greater consistency. This is not to
suggest that injecting The Merchant with surprises and highlighting its humour
is a mistake.
The problem is that the production has no coherent vision
and is dominated by often inappropriately wacky character interpretations and
very uneven acting ability. It lacks charismatic performances but has a number
of funny cameos.
The staging is
confined by a very beautiful beaten metallic design that, however, makes the
space inflexible for action.
Bell's first, more successful production of Merchant
expanded the potentially homo-erotic relationship between Antonio and Bassanio.
In this production, the idea is clumsily wrought with a kiss occurring too late
in the play.
Shylock, (Percy Sieff) a moneylender, advances 3000 ducats
to Antonio (Graham Harvey), the merchant of the title. Antonio, against his
principles, is borrowing against prospective income to subsidise his friend,
Bassanio (Rhett Walton). It all ends in tears - for Shylock.
Shylock is a Jew, spurned by Venetians for his usury. Sieff
gives a sound and substantial performance. He plays Shylock with an edge of
fragility and uncertainty arising from his persecution by Venetians who have no
comprehension of his race nor of his business. This nervousness balances
Shylock's vengeful passion to exact his due from Antonio when the loan cannot
be repaid.
The sub-plots concern attitudes to romance and the role of
women. Portia, Bassanio's chosen love, is a spirited, intelligent young woman
who must disguise herself as a man to be heard in court.
As Portia, Odile Le Clezio was disappointingly shallow,
racing through dialogue and demonstrating little of the magnetism that would
allow her to dominate the courtroom.
Although Shylock appears in only five scenes, his character
and predicament provide the spine. He forces us to address racism, alienation,
loss and revenge.
This modern audience, versed in prejudice, must consider
injustice from two diametrically opposed positions. Shylock has a right to his
day in court and to payment of his bond: "a pound of flesh". But does
he have the right to take a life in order to appease his rage at being
alienated?
By Kate Herbert
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