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Galleon Theatre Company present: The Merchant of Venice
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Bruce Jamieson
Greenwich Playhouse
12 Feb – 9 Mar 08
A review by Tanith Lindon for EXTRA! EXTRA!
As Shakespeare goes, The Merchant of Venice is a pretty well rounded play: multiple love interests, a few solid comedy scenes, narrowly averted tragedy and everyone (more or less) lives happily ever after, which would explain the play’s enduring popularity. Bassanio asks his best friend Antonio to be guarantor for the money he intends to get from Shylock, a Jewish loan-shark, in order to woo the wealthy, husband-hunting Portia. The deal is signed, but trouble begins when Shylock’s daughter runs away to marry a Christian, Lorenzo, and Antonio’s ships are lost at sea, meaning he can longer pay back the loan by the agreed deadline. Coincidentally, the last production of The Merchant of Venice that I had seen was on the Olivier stage at the National Theatre (2001?). I’m not going to be enticed into writing a comparison of the two, other than to say how much this production at the Greenwich Playhouse made me appreciate seeing a Shakespeare up close. It is well accepted that the heightened language of English classics can create a problem for modern audiences, and it is always harder to follow a play when you cannot see the faces of the cast. However, at the Greenwich Playhouse, the proximity of the audience to the performers meant that we were together every step of the way, and the physical and vocal subtleties in each actor’s performance could really shine. I must also add that these actors in particular were very thoughtful about their lines, avoiding the trap that befalls so many thespians, of following a general ‘Shakespearean rhythm’ - regardless of whether it relates to the line or not! Restrictions with the shape and size of the stage meant that the movement sometimes seemed repetitive, but generally the actors used the space well. I felt that the scene changes were a bit unimaginative, as they all followed virtually the same format: the cast walked all the way off stage, lights down, then up again, then a pause while the audience waited for the actors to walk back on. Given the limited number of exits, the Greenwich Playhouse does not have the most versatile of spaces, but there are many ways to break scenes while keeping the flow - it is up to the company to be inventive. The lighting, designed by Robert Gooch, was creative and varied, with nice touches such as intense spots on the three boxes for Portia’s suitors and lanterns for night-time scenes. Designer Hillary Statts’ painting of a Venetian scene on the back wall was particularly effective under low lighting and did manage to add a bit more depth to the space. The music was little bit too loud at times, but was well chosen and punctuated the scenes effectively. In general, the standard of acting was very high. In particular, Stephanie Thomas (Portia) and Nicholas John (Gratiano) stood out, adding an extra touch of vivacity in each of their scenes. Stephanie Thomas established clarity in regard to Portia’s high status and wealth through confident physicality and vocal control, giving her the assured femininity that Shylock’s browbeaten daughter Jessica lacks. Thomas rightly portrays her playfully, as Portia is relishing the last moments of freedom she has as an orphaned daughter before she becomes the property of another man (her husband). Richard Unwin (Solanio) also gave a very enjoyable, three-dimensional performance, despite holding a smaller role.
Although individually the actors were very impressive, I felt that something was lacking in the inter-relation between them, possibly due to the hefty cuts that director Bruce Jamieson took from the script. The show bowled along with no yawning young faces, but the bond of friendship between Bassanio and Antonio suffered, as did the authenticity of Jessica and Lorenzo’s love. In omitting to show the sub-plot scenes with Portia’s prospective suitors, you lose both the opportunity for comic interludes, and also the build-up to Bassanio and Portia’s getting-together …meaning you don’t really care when they (swiftly) do. The most serious loss in terms of characterisation was with Shylock, played by veteran actor Al Fiorentin. Despite being arguably the most interesting character in the play, and the force that drives the main plot, Shylock was largely forgettable in this production. I do not think that the fault lay in the performance by Fiorentini, but in the directorial choices and cuts made by Bruce Jamieson. Debatably you can do away with chunks of the subplot, but Antonio & Shylock, Shylock and his home life – they are vital to the central themes of bigotry, greed, revenge, and loss. Al Fiorentini is clearly an accomplished actor, but his scenes and speeches did not hit the highs they are capable of, because the build was not there. We need to see as an audience how the character of Shylock reaches the point of such bitter hatred towards the world that he would rather cut out a pound of Antonio’s flesh than take three times the original monetary amount he lent. Shylock was not played as angry or violent to start with, so you have to show the transition; his rage at losing his daughter, his money to an enemy, the injustice of being derided and despised for his faith. I felt that Fiorentini did not get the chance to rage. The trial scene, similarly, was not as effective as it could have been for some very avoidable reasons. Firstly it felt too informal for what is basically an execution; characters wandered around, standing or sitting on boxes. Secondly, elements of costume let down it down. The choice of casting an actress for the part of the judge in the trial scene was very effective, especially given that Portia and Nerissa act as barristers for Antonio (so the rational women sort out the men’s violent squabble). However, the choice to dress Eve-Marie Aikers in leggings with black knee-high stiletto boots, made her look more like a lads’-mag pin-up than a respectable judge, and the shiny plastic barrister’s wigs used to disguise Nerissa and Portia provoked giggles from the audience, all working to undermine the gravity of Antonio’s situation. The tableau - as Antonio is effectively crucified mid-stage with heavy ropes, - was very powerful, and the reflection of light on Shylock’s face from the blood-red curtains gave the scene a gruesome edge. Sadly, however, the drawn-out pause (as Antonio awaits a butchering by Shylock and his very large knife) was wasted, because the tension had not been previously built up, so there was no collective holding of breath. These criticisms do not reflect a negative comment on the production as a whole - which flowed well and was very enjoyable – but did make one question why the choice had been made to implement cuts as they were. This cast came together best when given comedy to play with, particularly in the scene of Portia and Nerissa’s flirtatious game-playing with their husbands after the trial, and we saw a different facet to Lachlan McCall (Bassanio)’s talents. The play ended on a thoughtful note, lights fading down on Jessica in the motions of Jewish prayer, unable after to all, to leave her father’s influence behind completely. My companion thoroughly enjoyed the intimate performance, as did I. I will perhaps consider asking him to come to the next Galleon Theatre Company extravaganza…
Tue-Sat at 7.30 pm and Sunday at 4pm Tickets £12, £9 concs Box office: 020 8858 9256 email: boxoffice@galleontheatre.co.uk
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