Over four hundred years have passed since Shakespeare penned this seminal play, but how much have our attitudes really changed? Several bloodthirsty wars, millions of deaths and one holocaust later we still reside with religious prejudice. It fuels our politics, our wars and even what schools our children go to. A prevailing attitude throughout history its relevance has not waned and neither has that of this play.
                                                                                           
Commercial Venice and Bassanio (Liam Brennan) requires funds to travel to idyllic Belmont and win lovely Portia (Neve McIntosh) for his wife. Good friend and businessman Antonio (Neil McKinven) agrees to lend Bassanio the money, but is forced to borrow from Jewish moneylender Shylock (Jimmy Chisholm), signing a deadly contract, honouring the debt with a pound of his own flesh. When Antonio fails to repay the money he’s bound by law to give Shylock the pound of flesh unless his young lawyer can save him.

Artistic Director Mark Thomson takes on this challenging play, considered one of Shakespeare’s greatest achievements in its melding of both comedy and tragedy, and widely referenced in pop culture mediums including Courtney Love’s band Hole. His interpretation sticks closely to the original text, but brushes over the Antonio/Bassanio gay subtext and prefers towards a modern twist with the clanger of a line ‘pay ast thou goest’. The main theme of the Christian/Jewish divide and bigotry remains strong, but goes beyond an examination of two specific religions to an overview of how hate breeds hate, and the Venetian intolerance, mirrored in its cold marble setting, should be shunned for the understanding and acceptance in Belmont, which brings warmth in lighting and music. A good Merchant is always reliant on a good Shylock, and Chisholm delivers an inspired performance evoking both the hatred and the pity we should feel for the character. Tears for Shylock are tears for a world of misunderstanding and suffering where we can’t alter the past but can make for a better future.

Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh (0131 248 4848)
Friday 22 Sept – Sat 21 Oct
Evenings: Tue – Sat @ 7.45pm
Matinees: 27 & 30 Sept, 4, 7, 11 &14 Oct @ 2.30pm

Pre-show talk: Tue 26 Sept @ 6pm
Post show discussion: Tue 3 Oct
Audio-descriptive performances: Thu 5 Oct @7.45pm & Sat 7 Oct @ 2.30pm
Touch tour for the visually impaired: Sat 7 Oct @ 12.30pm