The Merchant of Venice – Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

The Merchant of Venice – Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

The Drilling Company

August 4, 2016

Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company

The Drilling Company’s Shakespeare in the Parking Lot production of The Merchant of Venice is vibrant and moving.  Artistic Director Hamilton Clancy and Director Ezra Barnes have assembled a brilliant cast to bring life to this poignant and meaningful Shakespeare play.  This production has the quick and tight pace that is a trademark of The Drilling Company Parking Lot experience.  Shakespeare’s words echo with significance in the open parking lot space.  The strength of this production is the humor, which does not come from joy, but from cunning, trickery, and irony.

Jane Bradley skillfully plays Portia as a strong woman who uses her wit and charm to obtain what she wants, which is to wed Bassanio (played by Adam Huff).  She then uses her intelligence to help him save his friend Antonio (played by James Davies) from the bond held by Shylock (played by Dave Marantz).  She achieves her objective on all accounts, but, along with Nerissa (played by Amanda Cate Fuller) and Jessica (played by Lauriel Friedman), gains nothing more than an understanding that their men are deeply flawed in the ability to live by their word.

Jane Bradley, Dave Marantz, & James Davie
Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company

The theme of the value of your word rings loudly in this production.  Conflicts arise when the men give their word, whether it is in matters of finance, business, or love, and are not willing or able to follow through on it.  It is the women who succeed in following through, yet their place in society does not allow them much credit.  At least their place is higher than that of Shylock, who loses everything, yet is considered saved by the social standard of the time period.

Jane Bradley delivers a powerful and charming performance as Portia.  Dave Marantz portrays Shylock as a solid business man who is broken by the loss of his daughter.  Adam Huff is bold and alluring as Bassanio.  Eric Paterniani is enchanting and commanding as Lancelot.  There are strong performances from James Davies, Amanda Cate Fuller, Aly Bryant, Michael Sazonov, Michael Vincent Carrera, Lauriel Freidman, Warren Jackson, Wayne Willinger, Israel Hillary, and Richard M. Steele.

If you have not read my post about the Shakespeare’s Globe production of The Merchant of Venice at Lincoln Center Festival, please look at my July 22 posting.  Both of these productions are amazing.  They are filled with similarities and differences that are stunning to compare.  Be sure to see this Shakespeare in the Parking Lot production.  It runs for one more weekend, July 12, 13, and 14 at 8:00 PM.  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.  Post your comments here and join the conversation about this powerful and relevant classic play.

Domenick Danza

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