User Reviews

This has got to be one of the most successful update of Shakespeare's play to a different time period other than the Renaissance. This "Merchant of Venice" takes place in Germany in the 1930s, right before World War II and the Nazi's takeover of Germany.

This play is excellent in its' balance of both comedy and tragedy. The acting is excellent, especially the actor that plays Shylock. Shylock here is extremely motivated by the injustices of life as a Jew, and one can understand why he won't back down from his revenge. The actress that plays Jessica doesn't have a lot of lines, but she does come movingly across when she regrets having abandoned her father.

It's quite odd, that this play should have ended on a happier note because no one died, the bad guy was punished and everyone has a happy ending, but this play ended kind of sadly, as if it was foretelling the soon to be great tragedy in Germany where many Jews were soon massacred.

I wish I could've given a more specific review on this particular Shakespeare production, but it was a while ago and I can't remember everything except that it was very watchable and the portrayal of Shylock was absolutely memorable.

The Merchant of Venice is not one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. Shakespeare was a man of his time and during his time anti-Semitism was unquestionably accepted as right and moral. Shylock must needs be "have his comeuppance". It was unthinkable even to Shakespeare to have Shylock prevail at the end. Goodman, however, is wonderful. I especially loved one scene where Basanio, Portia and Shylock are fighting each other - the queer, the woman and the Jew going after each other instead of going after straight Christian men who are oppressing them all. Some things don't change. I love David Bamber in everything he does - he still sticks in my head as the oiliest Mr. Collins in the classic 1995 Pride and Prejudice.