The Merchant of Venice - Shakespeare’s Globe

The Merchant of Venice - Shakespeare’s Globe

Lincoln Center Festival

Rose Theater

July 22, 2016

Phoebe Pryce & Jonathan Pryce
Photo courtesy of Shakespeare's Globe

The Shakespeare’s Globe production of The Merchant of Venice played at the Rose Theater on July 20 – 24 as part of the Lincoln Center Festival.  Directed by Jonathan Munby, this production was thought provoking and emotionally riveting.  The play contains Shakespeare’s classic comic elements (gender disguises, foolish servants, love winning out in the end), yet also contains a downfall for the Shylock character that is probably more heightened and tragic than any ever written.  This particular interpretation brings that contrast sharply into focus through its design, direction, and superb performances.

Jolyon Coy, Dorothea Myer-Bennet, Rachel Pickup,
& Dan Fredenburgh
Photo courtesy of Shaskepeare's Globe

When Shylock (played by Jonathan Pryce) demands the agreed upon pound of flesh from Antonio (played by Dominic Mafham) as payment on a default loan, he is viewed as unjust and unmerciful.  Portia (played by Rachel Pickup) and Nerissa (played by Dorothea Myer-Bennet) disguise themselves and a lawyer and clerk to enter the court and save Antonio from his fate.  Their cunning trick succeeds and wins them both a deeper loyalty from their husbands Bossanio (played by Dan Fredenburgh) and Gratiano (played by Jolyon Coy).  It is a happy ending for all until Shylock is forced to give up half his riches and, more painfully, relinquish his faith and become a Christian.  The cries of his daughter, Jessica (played by Phoebe Pryce) reveals the true horror of her father’s fate.  That response bleeds into an even more devastating moment when we witness Shylock being baptized and led off the stage a destroyed man. 

Dominic Mafham as Antonio
Photo courtesy of Shakespeare's Globe

This is a powerful production that lends itself to intense discourse of the effect that such an ending had on an audience when it was first presented (400 years ago) compared to that of a present day audience.  Every performance of this brilliant cast takes the audience deeper into the social and political intolerance of the time period.  Set in the Elizabethan era, the play allows audience members to view and experience the acceptably harsh treatment of those of a different culture or religion  Viewed from a present day lense, we can see how centuries of hate and ignorance strengthen and build in societies and can readily lend themselves to irreversible atrocities.

Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center Festival

Unfortunately, this production had a very limited number of performances in the Lincoln Center Festival.  The Drilling Company Shakespeare in the Parking Lot will be presenting The Merchant of Venice from July 28 through August 14.  These performances are FREE.  The Parking Lot is located at 114 Norfolk Street (east side of Norfolk Street between Delancey and Rivington Streets), behind The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center.  If you missed the Shakespeare Globe’s outstanding production, be sure to attend The Drilling Company’s.  It will be interesting to compare these two interpretations of this powerful Shakespeare play. I welcome your comments.

Domenick Danza

A Human Being Died That Night

A Human Being Died That Night

The Fugard Theatre and Eric Abraham

BAM Fisher / Fishman Space

June 20, 2015

A Human Being Died That Night
Photo courtesy of BAM and the Fugard Theatre

“Between good and evil there is a thin paper.”  Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela makes this statement in a scene from A Human Being Died That Night.  The play, a Fugard Theatre and Eric Abraham production, is an emotional and political unraveling into the levels of forgiveness that are needed for a society to move on from deplorable acts of violence.  Currently playing at BAM Fisher / FishmanSpace, this is an important work that needs to be experienced by all.

The play is written by Nicholas Wright, based on the book by the same title written by Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, a psychologist who served on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in post-Apartheid South Africa.  It was created directly from taped interviews she conducted with Eugene de Kock, whom she first came in to contact with at a victim hearing while he was serving two life sentences and 120 years in prison for crimes against humanity.  He was nicknamed “Prime Evil” for his participation in Apartheid violence, torture, and murders.

A Human Being Died That Night
Photo courtesy of BAM and the Fugart Theatre

The play analyzes how we perceive someone who performed horrendous acts of violence as a “monster.”  It then deconstructs this initial perception by introducing facts, information, and points of view that transform the “monster” into a person.  As de Kock tells it, “a cog in a bigger wheel,” does not make him less guilty, just flawed and more human.  Playwright Nicholas Wright and Director Jonathan Munby take us through the many layers of understanding in order to see how forgiveness is essential to healing, both personally and as a society.

Noma Dumezwani
Photo courtesy of BAM
and the Fugard Theatre

Noma Dumezweni as Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela and Matthew Marsh as Eugene de Kock both deliver intense and provocative performances.  The production comes to BAM from the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town, South Africa.  It is flawlessly directed by Jonathan Munby.  The sound and lighting design by Christopher Shutt and Tim Mitchell blend together to generate seamless transitions in time, location, and inner monologue.

Matthew Marsh
Photo courtesy of BAM
and the Fugard Theatre

This play needs to be seen and discussed.  I could not help thinking about what I heard earlier that day on the news about the families of victims of the recent Charleston church massacre welcoming and forgiving the shooter.  Also what crossed my mind was an episode of Law & Order that ended with a mother forgiving the convicted murderer of her son and promising to pray for him because he will need God in “that dark place where he is going.”  What also came up for me during the play was how I blubbered like a baby when I heard on the news a few weeks ago that the Boston bomber was sentenced to death.  This play asks the essential question: How do we forgive the unforgivable?  According to Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela’s research and interviews, victims do not want to hold onto the pain.  They crave the giving of forgiveness, knowing it is an essential step to being able to morn and walk through the healing process.  

The silence that filled the theatre when the show ended was strong proof of how powerful and important this show is, especially at this time.  A Person Died That Night is playing until June 21 at BAM Fisher / Fishman Space.  I heard through my colleague Deirdre DeLoatch that BAM secured the rights to film the performance and show it to students sometime within the next year.  Be sure to experience it. 

Domenick Danza