Review: Merchant of Venice, Derby Theatre
HAVING been told to scrimp and save in a new era of austerity, the British public have cast an angry eye at bonus-bagging bankers whose greed has got us into this mess.
It's not so long ago that we were told to spend, spend, spend and that boom and boost was over – but we were always heading for a fall.
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The Merchant of Venice
It was the same in the 1920s, when flappers dashed from one cocktail party to another and financiers rushed headlong towards the Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression.
So the financial markets of the 1920s make an apt setting for Derby Live's Merchant of Venice, with the parallels stretching from Italy in the 14th century via the Jazz Age to modern debt-ridden Britain where, like Shylock, we are all looking for revenge and our "pound of flesh".
This production has looks to kill, as if the producers of Mad Men had decided to do Shakespeare. It's all sharp suits, glamorous gowns and a stock market backdrop where a roulette wheel symbolises the kind of casino banking we have come to despise.
Perfectly captured throughout by Patrick Connellan's dazzling design are both the seductive glamour and grubby reality of the pursuit of money. A tilting stage sets everyone up for a fall. The symbolic slide is a bit obvious but is certainly appropriate.
But the trappings that point up the modern resonance are built on solid foundations. All that glisters here is truly gold.
The key to this production is the clarity. Director Pete Meakin has a deep understanding of Shakespeare and a happy knack of being able to communicate that to an audience. His 1960s-set Much Ado About Nothing also brought us a new slant on the Bard but more importantly never lost the audience in the depths of the language.
The director again makes sure the cast are at home with the rich text. They are led by Paul Rider, an old Derby Playhouse favourite returning to give us a measured Shylock, above the hammy Al Pacino portrayal in the 2004 film version.
Here is Shylock radicalised and driven to extremism as multiculturalism falls apart.
It's Shylock who strikes the deadly bargain with the Merchant of the title, Antonio – played with nobility by George Telfer. And Shylock who demands that ghastly forfeit.
It's Antonio's love for Bassanio that persuades him to shake on the terrible deal.
But let's not forget this is a tragi-comedy and there's the fair hand of Portia to win if Bassanio can open the right casket from a choice of three. This is a production that wears the lighter interludes well, offering contrast rather than unwelcome intrusion.
Camilla Arfwedson's beguiling Portia is the key here, well matched with the persuasive ardour of Sam Phillips as Bassanio.
A production then that skips lightly over this play's particular problems to give us something relevant and revealing.
WHAT: The Merchant of Venice
WHERE: Derby Theatre
WHEN: Until February 26, 7.30pm plus matinees
TICKETS: £8-£21, concessions available
CALL: 01332 255800
3 Comments
by DEOwen, Chester Green
Friday, February 11 2011, 9:13AM
“I have sent a review of Merchant of Venice 5 times and not had it listed once. Why say you welcome opinions? There are only 2 listed - so you are hardly overwhelmed - unless you are blocking many other opinions.”
by Valleysgirl, Derby
Wednesday, February 09 2011, 4:40PM
“I must disagree strongly with TellMeWhy1's tirade against Derby Live's production of The Merchant of Venice. I, too, went to this production with an open mind and I came away having thoroughly enjoyed the whole performance. It is not a Shakespeare play with which I am familiar, although I knew the basic story, but I found it moved along at a cracking pace without ever leaving the audience behind and the time passed all too quickly. I found Paul Rider as Shylock to be convincing and, at times, moving in his portrayal of a man whose character has probably been shaped by the prejudices of the times (and not always so different now, unfortunately). Sam Phillips as Bassanio was spot on in his portrayal of a self-centred and self-confident young man who does not think about the consequences of his request to Antonio. And as for Portia and Nerissa -a great 'double act'! Portia (Camilla Arfwedson) was both light-hearted and intense in all the right places and Nerissa (Haz Webb) was a wonderful foil. Perhaps the weakest portrayal was Jessica (Fiona Hampton), who was rather quiet in her voice and character projection,but this is not a strong part anyway. I don't understand 'TellMeWhy1's comment on the final 'melodramatic' scene - Shakespeare is about melodrama, and about pathos, humour, terror and all the other emotions and 'techniques' which make a play stand out from the rest. If the acting is so 'static and wooden', then how could the embraces be 'emotional' and the kisses 'passionate', as TellMeWhy1 writes? The only aspect on which I would agree with TellMeWhy1 is the setting - I didn't necessarily see the need for the play to be set in the 1920s, but it certainly didn't detract from my enjoyment. I would urge you to go and see it; I came out 'buzzing' from the pleasure of seeing a well-acted play which held me enthralled from the start.”
by TellMeWhy1, Derby
Wednesday, February 09 2011, 1:40PM
“Firstly may I ask why the telegraph insists on calling these items reviews, when it never offers any form of genuine opinion on the productions? Rather takes the reader on a paint by numbers style explanation of the reasoning and artistic decisions, which for this particular production are actually needed as the ¿stock exchange¿ setting neither made sense nor was necessary. I wonder are these items written by a member of the Derby Live team or is the writer simply briefed on exactly what to write by the Director?
I agree that the set and costume are beautiful and the Mad Men comparison is completely understandable but that is unfortunately all this production has going for it.
The acting is static and wooden with emotional embraces and passionate kisses leaping out of nowhere. The only movement is a series of clichéd gestures to accentuate the language which have been seen a thousand times before. I felt as though the director was working from a book titled ¿How to do Shakespeare like everyone else¿. And this ¿cooing¿ over Paul Rider is the very thing that has made me take time out of my day to write this! For starters who is he? Though he was one of only three actors whom actually projected and where not lost in the space he brought nothing to the role.
I went to watch this production with an open mind in fact I was really looking forward to an evening at the theatre.
But from the Directors life story in the programme to the never ending scene changes to the melodramatic final image of the tragic Antonio watching the lovers leave, and dropping a letter Portia has given him, I was bored annoyed and all round disappointed.
In a time when money for the arts is scarce and the Arts Council are asking for ¿innovative¿ ideas and productions, this is nothing more than a waste of money that could have been used to produce ten shoe-string shows with a thousand times more artistic worth.
The only stars in this production where the ones on the star cloth, and if you have money to burn and want a nice warm place to sleep for three hours Derby Lives Merchant of Venice is for you!”