The Merchant of Venice - Live at Shakespeare's Globe

Overview

Portia, a wealthy heiress of Belmont, is forced to set her suitors a challenge. The winner will win her hand in marriage; the losers will lose her hand and much more. In Venice, the epicentre of consumption, speculation and debt, Bassanio borrows money from his friend Antonio to finance his attempt. Antonio, in turn, takes out a loan from the moneylender Shylock. The loan will be repaid when Antonio’s ships return to the city. But if the ships fail to return, and the money cannot be repaid, Antonio will give to Shylock a pound of his own flesh. And they do fail. And Shylock will have his ‘bond’.

Cast

Jonathan Pryce

Shylock

Dominic Mafham

Antonio

Rachel Pickup

Portia

Daniel Lapaine

Bassanio

Douglas Brian Martin

Salarino

Regé-Jean Page

Solanio

Ben Lamb

Lorenzo

David Sturzaker

Gratiano

Dorothea Myer-Bennett

Nerissa

Stefan Adegbola

Launcelot Gobbo