Live and in person at the Theatre Center, Toronto, Ont. Produced by Shakespeare BASH’d. Playing until February 23, 2025.
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Julia Nish-Lapidus
Sound by Matt Nish-Labidus
Lighting by Sruthi Suresan
Cast: Ori Black
Sofia Contal
Brittany Kay
Alon Nashman
Jesse Nerenberg
Adriano Reis
Asher Rose
Cameron Scott
Hallie Selin
Carson Somanlall
James Wallis
Arielle Zamora
A smart production with some interesting discoveries. I do have a few quibbles, but still a worthy production, and a wonderful performance from Alon Nashman as Shylock.
The Production. Director Julia Nish-Lapidus carries on the Shakespeare BASHd tradition of producing, smart, bracing, unfussy productions that put all their energies into producing Shakespeare’s plays in a clear way that reflects our modern world.
Initially this production of The Merchant of Venice is centered around the Shabbat ceremony. Various Jews gather around the table, kibbitzing. The ceremonial challah is in the center of the table. One person puts a thick, opened tome on the table. The assembled await the arrival of the head of the table—Shylock. He arrives and is welcoming to all. He wears a head covering and a shirt with the tzitzit hanging down from the shirt. The candles are lit for Shabbat. Prayers are said with care and respect. Someone misquotes the line from The Merchant of Venice: “All that glitters is not gold.” The correct quote is found in the tome and read: “All that glisters is not gold.” This is very telling since money factors so heavily in the play for so many people.
After that, the table is cleared except for the challah and the production of Shakespeare’s play begins.
Director Julia Nish-Lapidus directs with care and imagination. In the mask scene, when Lorenzo and his buddies went marauding through the streets of Venice wearing masks so they would not be recognized, the group grabbed at the challah on the table, tearing off pieces of it. Brilliant. It gave a sense of desecration—grabbing at a symbol of a holy Jewish ceremony, Shabbat.
When Shylock is decreed to live his life as a Christian, there is a gasp, as if the person didn’t know the play or what happens to Shylock. Love that gasp. A character knocks Shylock’s head covering off. Shylock is on his knees and then covers his head with his hand as a small gesture. He tries to assume some dignity.
Many actors in the production are accomplished and leading them is Alon Nashman as Shylock. He’s splendid. Shylock has to be careful in his dealing with Antonio, the merchant. So Shylock calmly weighs the conditions of what is being asked of him, initially by Bassanio, and then Antonio. When Antonio gets impatient with Shylock’s reviewing of the conditions, Shylock then reminds Antonio, calmly, of his bad treatment of him, because he is a Jew. Alon Nashman does not yell or lose his temper. He carefully reminds Antonio of his antisemitic behaviour. This is a refreshing change from other productions—Nashman is tempered, thoughtful and pointed.
Jesse Nerenberg as Antonio is confident, arrogant and composed. He brings Antonio’s arrogance to the role in clear sight. His desperation in the court when it looks like he has to forfeit his life, is gripping. As Bassanio, Cameron Laurie is stylish, courtly and charming. It’s easy to see why Portia would remember him.
Hallie Seline as Portia also has the arrogance of a rich, pampered woman. And she is racist towards all the suitors. She is judgmental as well. While Seline is a fine actress, I found that she raced through her disparaging remarks towards all her suitors, except Bassanio, as if she (Portia) had practiced the speech. Hallie Seline would have been more successful in the speeches if she had paced their delivery with more purpose and nuance. The audience has to hear these speeches as well as get a sense of Portia’s sarcasm. When Portia was playing the young lawyer, Portia held the folded bond in her hand and didn’t peruse it frantically looking for the loophole in the bond (….”Not one drop of Christian blood”). I think this was a wasted opportunity. The audience has to see the quiet desperation of the searching and then see her find the loophole—Shylock actually gave her the clue.
I found Sofia Contal as Launcelot Gobbo so quick in the delivery and so full of over-played business and inflection, that the humour just dribbled away. Trust the words, don’t play the humour.
Comment. Julia Nish-Lapidus’ production reveals so much about the play:
The Merchant of Venice is not antisemitic. It’s about antisemitism.
The play is about hatred and racism toward anybody who looks and acts different from the Venetians. Note Portia’s description of some of her suitors.
Shylock has few jobs open to him at the time of the play, money-lender being one. (tinker and tailor being the other two). Money is not the thing that drives him. Money drives Bassanio because he’s squandered so much of it. He doesn’t work for it. He borrows it from friends and then can’t pay it back. When describing Portia to Antonio, Bassanio mentions Portia’s money first (‘….she is richly left’) and then mentions….”and she is fair.” )
When Jessica runs off with Lorenzo and takes Shylock’s money and jewels, Shylock says, “My daughter. My ducats.” His daughter is more important than the money. Quite a contrast from the greedy Bassanio.
Everybody loses in the play, but they don’t know it yet. Jessica knows she’s made a mistake that only gets reinforced, by the way she is directed: being ostracized immediately, not being welcome readily by Portia, Antonio etc. and realizing what had to have happened to Shylock to make him give Lorenzo and her his money. Bassanio will blow through Portia’s money very quickly. Antonio will loose Bassanio, the love of his life. Shylock is the biggest loser, obviously.
It’s a play about antisemitism, racism, greed and meanness. It should be done somewhere in the world, every single day.
Shakespeare BASH’d presents:
Plays until Feb. 23, 2025.
Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes (1 Intermission)