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The Merchant of Venice by San Diego Repertory Theatre 
Three thousand ducats, or a pound of flesh. Such are the terms of the loan agreement between the borrower, Antonio, and the lender, Shylock. Let Shakespeare's infamous play, and the storm of controversy, begin.
The controversy swirls around the character of Shylock, a greedy Jewish moneylender who cares more about money than about people, and more about revenge than about money. This negative stereotype has been perpetuated for a thousand years in Christian culture. For centuries the European governments forbade the practice of charging interest for the lending of money, yet the extension of loans and credit were essential to Christian merchants in order to finance trade shipments and business expansions. Filling this essential financial role were the Jews. Their religion did not forbid the practice of collecting interest on loans, thus the governments of Christian Europe exempted the Jewish people from the laws against collecting interest (so-called usury laws). This worked out well for the governments as they collected taxes on the trade and on the Jewish lenders. Christian merchants also benefited greatly at the ability to borrower money, but at the same time they were happily taking the money, they were hostile to the Jews to whom they became indebted. Especially when they couldn't repay their debts! When times went bad, they could blame their misfortune on the minority population to whom they owed money -- often with terrible, sometimes deadly, results. William Shakespeare was raised in an England that had expelled their entire Jewish population three hundred years before, thus his knowledge of Jewish people and culture was based solely on what he had heard and read from the Christian culture that had expelled the Jews. If this does not exactly excuse his portrayal of Shylock, it at least might help to explain its negativity. Although actually (and sadly), Shakespeare's depiction of Shylock was not quite as bad as what many of his contemporaries were doing. It was very much in vogue during the sixteenth and early seventeenth century to portray the villain as a greedy Jewish moneylender. Shakespeare's Shylock stood apart from most of these in both the deepness of his character, and in his condemnation of hypocritical Christians who borrowed with one hand while striking blows with the other. In Merchant, Antonio is the pompous Christian businessman who has spat, kicked, and verbally disparaged Shylock, yet still expects him to lend him more money despite having no collateral. With a biting wit, Shylock questions Antonio as to why he should continue lending money to him under such circumstances. Later he questions Antonio's inhuman treatment of Jews, as if they were inferior creatures, with the famous lines: "If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?" Dramaturg Gideon Rappaport's informative and sensitive program notes are highly recommended. No doubt there are both good reasons for and against producing a show that contains such blatant antisemitic messages. Regardless, in the end I think there can be little argument that San Diego Repertory Theatre and Director Sam Woodhouse have put together one of the most magnificent productions of the year. Dione Lebhar has designed a wide variety of aesthetically pleasing, modern costumes for all the characters, while making the two non-Christians stand out with Shylock's fine but comparably drab black suit and gilded yarmulke, and the Prince of Morocco's much more vibrant and exotic apparel. Jim Mooney's jazzy compositions help set some of the moods, from joyous to despondent, while also making the scene transitions seem smoother than ever. But best of all, brilliant acting by a top-notch cast brings these characters to life with terrific comedy, delightful romance, and poignant drama. The talent is led by Ron Campbell as the pivotal character Shylock, who served up a most gripping performance from his first lines where he toys with Antonio to his last lines where he is humiliated to the point of ultimate indignation in what was supposed to be his triumphant victory. Depriving him of that victory was the sharp-witted legal expert, heiress Portia disguised as a man. Her legal arguments probably would not have worked in a real court, contending that Shylock could take a pound of flesh, but must not take one drop of blood in the process. Any reasonable person would have expected to lose some blood in the process of giving up their flesh, and therefore would have implied consent to do so. If such an argument was applied to real estate, someone could buy a parcel of land and then be told that he was not allowed to touch any of the plants and weeds growing on the property, as he had only bought the "land," and plants are not land. Nevertheless, Karole Foreman is spectacular as both the "disguised male Portia" and especially as the "young heiress Portia." Her entrancing and amusing reaction to being wooed by a number of weird-o's is a treat. For it had recently been arranged that she would marry the first man to solve a riddle by choosing correctly among three boxes made of gold, silver, and lead. Men come from all over to seek her beautiful, and rich, hand. Her suitors who puzzle over the riddle include the hysterical Baruti as the strong, confident, crooning, romantic, but strange Prince of Morocco who is a little surprised (and none-too-happy) when he chooses the wrong box. Next up is the outrageous and equally hysterical French Prince of Aragon played with great fanfare by Douglas Lay. But Portia doesn't want these amusing but eccentric gents. She wants someone kind and normal, even if he's a little ... well ... boring in comparison. Enter Bassanio (Mikael Salazar), the suitor for whom Antonio took out his loan, allowing Bassanio to properly woo the wealthy heiress. Boring, but also loyal, stable and honest, he holds the key to her heart. But their happiness is in jeopardy when they learn Antonio is about to lose his own heart to Shylock -- or at least a pound of flesh right around his heart. Douglas Roberts is Antonio, the merchant of Venice -- that antisemitic borrower with latent homosexual longings for his good friend Bassanio. As such he is best when barely containing his passion for Bassanio, and in his trembling relief just after his harrowing brush with death. Yet he seemed to be holding back a little too much in his hatred for Shylock. Antonio is supposed to be a vicious and hateful foe of Shylock, prompting Shylock's desire for revenge. By coming off a little soft in his detest of Shylock, we lose some of the conflict that drives this classic tale. But this is a relatively small matter, and overall the cast does superb work throughout the show. Linda Libby and Mark Christopher Lawrence, in the roles of Portia's and Bassanio's servants who get together at the same time Portia and Bassanio are getting together, combine for a couple of cute scenes. And Kanani Titchen gives a touching portrayal of Shylock's daughter who forsakes her father to marry a Christian, Lorenzo (Francis Gercke). Add to all that the array of pleasing sights and sounds, and some entertaining modern touches like the use of flashlights for torches and car horns for trumpets, and you have a highly entertaining show that will alternately make you laugh out loud and cringe in disgust. Rob Hopper San Diego Playbill ~ Cast ~
Musician: Jim Mooney Antonio, a merchant of Venice: Douglas Roberts Salerio: Walter Murray Solanio: Fernando Flores Vega Gratiano: Mark Christopher Lawrence Lorenzo: Francis Gercke Bassanio: Mikael Salazar Portia, a heiress of Belmont: Karole Foreman Nerissa, Portia's friend: Linda Libby Shylock: Ron Campbell Tubal: George W. Flint Lancelot, a servant/The Prince of Aragon: Douglas Lay Jessica, Shylock's Daughter: Kanani Titchen The Prince of Morocco/The Duke of Venice: Baruti Jailer/Ensemble: Lance Rogers Katherine/Ensemble: Natalie Sentz Director: Sam Woodhouse Set Design: Robin Sanford Roberts Costume Design: Dione Lebhar Lighting Design: John Martin Musical Director and Composer: Jim Mooney Sound Design: Todd M. Reischman Voice and Text Coach: Jonathan McMurtry Dramaturg: Gideon Rappaport Stage Manager: Diana Moser |