The Lisbon Players first production of the new season will be William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’. Antonio, the eponymous merchant, borrows a substantial amount of money from his enemy, Shylock the Jew, in order to aid his young friend Bassanio whose debts have reached critical levels. The collateral, or bond, for the loan is to be a pound of Antonio’s flesh, ’nearest the heart’. When disaster strikes and Antonio defaults on the loan Shylock demands payment of the bond, which can only lead to the death of the merchant.

With critical debate divided over the anti-Semitic nature of play, The Merchant of Venice is never far from controversy and any production of the play has to confront and attempt to address the changing attitudes to racism, not just anti-Semitism, that have shaped our society since Shakespeare’s time. Our production takes place in the early 1930’s, a period that saw the rise of the Great Dictators, a time in which man’s need to blame others for his own misfortune was being exploited by those who would go on to commit atrocities that would shock the world.

As well as the challenging and powerful drama which the Antonio/ Shylock story gives us, The Merchant of Venice also contains humour and romance. Portia’s plight, (she may only marry the man who chooses the correct casket, one of gold, silver or lead, which contains her portrait) is both humorously and touchingly handled, and her journey in the play is one which throws up a host of contradictory responses in the audience. The play will be performed at Estrela Hall, Rua da Estrela no.10, on the following dates: November 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 December 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 at 9.30pm.

Performance dates: November 17th 18th 19th 24th 25th 26th
December 1st 2nd 3rd 8th 9th 10th at 9.30pm.