The Merchant of Venice
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Alex Pearson
'If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge.'
Set against the backdrop of modern-day working shipping docks, Antonia, a wealthy Merchant is desperately in need of funds. Her friend, Bassanio, needs a rich wife to clear his debts. Portia, a wealthy heiress, reduced to a prize for which men must gamble, seems to be the perfect solution.
Beneath the charmed surface, all are at risk, and everyone needs a win. As for Shylock, the despised and alienated moneylender? Is he the answer to Antonia’s prayers or will Shylock seek revenge against the community that has never accepted him?
And like Shakespeare we ask:
“How in an avaricious society can truth and justice be achieved if there is no love?”
The most recent production of The Merchant of Venice was at the Drayton Arms Theatre ran between 1 -19th October 2019 and was directed by Alex Pearson.
This dynamic, visceral modern-day adaptation, played to sold out audiences. We focus on clear storytelling in a modern London setting, we take a fresh look at The Merchant of Venice, and its famous Jewish antagonist Shylock. By embracing the characters’ darker and lighter extremes, they emerge as greedy and morally grey, but real. We are concerned by the rise in anti-Semitic and other racist behaviour and we believe in the power of theatre to explore divisive social issues.
Related upcoming events
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02/06/2024 5:00 pm - 02/06/2024 6:00 pmMagpie
Back by popular demand this 5 Star and Outstanding show is returning to The Lantern for the end of the Fringe.
Ireland, 1923.
Civil war has split country, friend and family. The story of “Magpie” follows two brothers, Michael and Patrick Murphy, within the confines of Kilmainham Gaol. One an IRA gunman fresh from the trenches of WWI, the other a Freestate prison guard. Both haunted by the past.“Magpie” probes the complexity of loyalty between family and national allegiance, ideology, and experience. It resonates powerfully in today’s volatile times of war and conflict; enduring themes, as relevant today as they were a century ago.
The cast’s universally outstanding. Several possible ends suggest themselves, but not the one you’ll see in this one-hour play that covers as much as a far longer one, and feels longer, in exactly the right way. Never has “Two for Joy” proved so devastating an utterance as here. Outstanding.
Fringe Review
This is a journey of raw emotion and power, and the final understandings and empathy in the last ten minutes elevate a breathtakingly exceptional production to a must see. A stunning production, which is quite simply flawless.
BroadwayBaby ★★★★★
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06/06/2024 7:30 pm - 08/06/2024 8:45 pm
The Olive Boy
A CRUDE, COMPELLING, COMING OF AGE COMEDY.
You're 15 years old, struggling through school and coming to terms with the early stages of adolescence. Things are tricky when you're a teenager. You get dealt yet another devastating blow. But this time, it's worse. Your mum's passed away suddenly, and you’ve now got to move in with your, until that point, absent father.Now what?
In a hopeless attempt to stay sane, you decide to pursue a girlfriend, but, shock, that doesn’t go to plan either. Surrounded by a great deal of olives, come on the journey of grief and hope through early adulthood.
Based on Ollie Maddigan’s real life story, “The Olive Boy" is a crude but compelling comedy written and performed by Ollie Maddigan himself. Initially introduced at the Hope Theatre in 2021, the show quickly gained attention during its three-night run as part of the Camden Fringe and then in 2022 as part of its month-long sell out run at The Edinburgh Fringe. Renowned for its gripping narrative and Ollie’s remarkable onstage presence, "The Olive Boy" has received praise from both theatre-goers and critics.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“A reminder of how few frills are needed when a true talent commands the stage…A tour de force of ecstasy, emotion and grief”
Broadway Baby⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Fantastic! Ollie Madigan is one to watch”
Steve Pemberton (League of Gentlemen, Inside No.9)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Maddigan crafts a delicate balance of humour and sadness, beautifully merging the destructive blows of grief and family strife”
The Student, Review by Rosa Georgiou⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“An engaging, compelling and exceptional story”
Theatreandotherthingslondon -
15/06/2024 8:00 pm - 15/06/2024 9:00 pmHamstrung
EDINBURGH FRINGE PREVIEW
Alas, poor Yorick! Though he’s not dead...
Hamlet’s legendary fellow of infinite jest is back to dig up the bones of his misspent life in this irreverent resurrection of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy.
Join Yorick as he reconnects with his lost love of performance, embarking on a high-spirited journey to discover what really happened in Elsinore all those years ago.
Hamstrung is a ‘stirring and impactful’ tragicomic ghost story about the space between live theatre and the afterlife.
To see or not to see? There is no question…
‘Cleverly taps into the timelessness of one of Shakespeare's most famous works’ ★★★★ (fringebiscuit)
Written and performed by George Rennie
Directed by Lisa Milla
Design consultation by Damien Stanton
Sound design by Lucas Button
Lighting design by Benedict Esdale
Artwork design by Faisal Ag
Artwork photography by Luka BoothHamstrung will be playing at Pleasance Courtyard for Edinburgh Fringe 2024.