The Merchant of Venice

This production of The Merchant of Venice is set in Victorian times, which rather works against the play in some part. The Victorians were far more subtle in their anti-Semitism than the Elizabethans and it just strikes a false note to see it so openly expressed before a Jew by these Victorian gentlemen.

Much of the text is there, which is a relief as so many producers think they know better than Shakespeare how to put a play together, although Miller does omit some lines. For instance we don't hear Shylock loudly lamenting his daughter and his ducats, first with 'O my daughter' then 'O my ducats' and switching between the two with the ducats gradually winning out in this tussle between his losses. It's a marvelous moment and, apart from its comic qualities, is very revealing of the avarice at the heart of Shylock.

I think Miller left it out because he didn't want people laughing at Shylock too much. But this is after all a comedy rather than a tragedy and it is owing to Shakespeare's genius that we can both laugh at and sympathize with Shylock at different moments of the play. In fact Miller inserts himself too much into this play, especially where Jessica, Shylock's daughter, is concerned. With no justification at all he shows her as becoming discontent with her match with Lorenzo, brooding and regretful. This darkens the close of the play unnecessarily.

Miller should have let the play speak for itself without tromping through it in heavy boots to impose a modern sensibility on the actors. It's a shame because those actors are excellent in their roles. This could have been a far better production if Miller had just kept his ego in check a little, but he finds that difficult in most of his productions.

It's worth seeing though, as almost every production of Shakespeare is. His words are there and that is really all that counts at the end of the day. BTW at one point Bassanio says to Portia, "Lady, you have bereft me of all words." I know it's the character speaking but for an instant the idea came to my mind of Shakespeare being bereft of words. It was like thinking of the sun not shining or water not being wet. An impossibility!

Laurence Olivier's run at the National Theatre included this gem which cast himself as Shylock, with his wife Joan Plowright as Portia. Originally staged in 1970, the cast transferred with ease to this TV version (the only major substitution being Michael Jayston for Derek Jacobi as Gratiano).

It moves along quite well and is definitely buoyed up by its starry lead duo. The rejected suitors have a comic aspect which sits well with the 'pound of flesh' seriousness of the remainder. Glad it was recorded for us all to enjoy.

I agree Portia's suitors were a bit over the top, but one has to remember that this is a comedy, and must be taken in context. Elizabethan comedy was a bit more crude than a lot of people today can appreciate, as it focused on baser jokes concerning sexuality and exaggeration. I felt that the suitors were amusing, especially the Prince of Aragon. His portrayal of a feeble old man exemplifies the purpose of these characters being in the play: to contrast Bassanio and show what the other extreme of the spectrum was: how unsuitable a suitor can be. The ridiculosity of the idea of an 80yr old man courting Portia is part of the joke. I esp like "blinking fool" from the silver casket.

If you thought this was over the top, stay well away from the BBC version, as it's Morocco and Aragon are even more flamboyant and obnoxious.

'The Merchant of Venice' is not among my favourites of William Shakespeare's plays, but in no way is that a knock. It is one of his most controversial plays, being dubbed by many as anti-semitic and sparks much debate today, not just for that but also analysing the character of Shylock (as to whether he is a villain or a sympathetic character) and there is debate frequently of whether the play is a comedy or tragedy. It is also one of his most interesting, as an overall play and when analysing the text and characters, especially for Shylock's Act 3 Scene 1 speech and Shylock himself.

It's a play that has a mostly solid DVD competition (that includes the 1980 BBC Television Shakespeare production, 2004 film and the one with Jonathan Pryce as Shylock), with the only disappointment in my view being the 2015 Royal Shakespeare Company production for primarily the under-cooked stage direction (as a result of trying to put more emphasis on Antonio and not doing enough with everything else) and an out of his depth Shylock. This 1973 film is not perfect but overall it is one of the better available versions of 'The Merchant of Venice'.

Am going to be another person that felt that Charles Kay and Stefan Greif resort too much to clownish mugging. Often it is Launcelot that's the annoying character but not here.

More perhaps could have done with Antonio's conversion to mercy.

However, there is so much to like about this version of 'The Merchant of Venice'. Even though updated, here than Victorian era rather than the Elizabethan one, the setting is very handsomely and handsomely designed captured beautifully by the photography. Carl Davis' score is suitably rousing with also some truly ravishingly orchestrated parts. Jonathan Miller's direction is intelligently done and tasteful, with no pointless or gratuitous touches that make no sense (a bugbear of mine for non-traditional productions of operas, ballets and plays). The characters of Shylock and Portia are especially well directed.

Furthermore, Shakespeare's mastery of language and writing shines through all the time in the play, given with full impact from beginning to end here. 'The Merchant of Venice' is full of witty and ironic humour, a vast majority of it inducing many laughs without being overdone generally. The more serious, somewhat tragic elements of the story are poignant while not being overly-serious that it becomes dreary. Act 3 Scene 1 is the play's turning point and handled beautifully. The story is never static or too busy, while always being compelling.

Laurence Olivier is superb as Shylock, it was a complex suitably ambiguous portrayal that didn't make him too sympathetic or too much of a villain (getting that balance right and not falling in either extreme is what is difficult about the part). The other standout is Joan Plowright as a very intelligent Portia while Jeremy Brett is a strong presence as Bassanio. Personally liked Anthony Nicholls' Antonio, it was a subtle portrayal while successful in showing the nastier side of Antonio in his treatment of Shylock (without going too far on that). Denis Lawson manages to achieve the near-impossible feat of not making Launcelot, one of Shakespeare's most crude and obnoxious characters, annoying while still having personality.

Overall, very well done version to be seen for Olivier. 8/10

Olivier's Shylock is a wonderful characterization, painful to watch (as it should be) at times, but the show belongs to Joan Plowright as Portia. She is the consummate lady, at times abstracted or petulant (did her wise old father perhaps spoil her a bit?) but always magnetic. Jeremy "Freddy Eynsford-Hill" Brett is a sweet young Bassanio (how did he grow up to be Sherlock Holmes?) and Anna Carteret a smooth, smiling Nerissa, and Miller does interesting things with Jessica and Lorenzo in Act Five. My one quibble is with Anthony Nicholls as Antonio. He and Shylock go around like white-haired doppelgangers in black top hats and cloaks, which is a nice touch, but he himself is just *there*. We don't know what Bassanio sees in him, what he sees in Bassanio, why he hates Shylock so much, why Shylock would bother to hate him, if he's at all distressed at the prospect of forfeiting his bond or concerned about his ships. The suitors mug rather and the singing ladies in the final casket scene are somewhat painful, but it's a creditable job overall.