REVIEW: The Merchant of Venice (From Bridgwater Mercury)

REVIEW: The Merchant of Venice

9:46am Friday 30th July 2010 in

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Review by Ian Beech

A RAIN-FREE evening saw a large audience enjoy picnics in the lovely surroundings of Cossington Manor Gardens before an excellent performance by the internationally renowned touring company Theatre Set-Up.

The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare's most problematic plays for modern audiences, given its themes of racial and religious intolerance, but the company unfolded a very thoughtful production in the style of an 18th century Venetian carnival.

Tony Portacio gave an impressive performance as Shylock, a man eventually destroyed by vindictive revenge.

His speech proclaiming his common humanity with the Christians around him was poignantly delivered, contrasting with his savage hunger for Antonio's pound of flesh.

He was ultimately confounded by the dramatic intervention of beautiful heiress Portia (Suzie Edwards), disguised as a young lawyer, who rescues Antonio (Terry Ashe) from the ultimate credit crunch.

Away from the 'merry jest' of the flesh-bond, the casket scenes provided light-hearted entertainment.

Richard Sanderson played all three of Portia's would be suitors. His cameo roles as the unsuccessful Princes - the bombastic Morocco and the particularly lascivious Arragon - were comic highlights and in his main character he made an excellent Bassanio, the amorous adventurer who risks his friend's life to woo Portia.

There were high quality performances throughout the cast - Elizabeth Arends as her waiting-woman Nerissa, Jamie Blake as Shylock's daughter Jessica, and Steven Rostance as Gratiano and Launcelot Gobbo.

The cast worked extremely hard, doubling up roles and repeatedly changing costumes, to provide a thoroughly rewarding summer's evening.