Review: 'The Merchant of Venice'
‘BRINGING SHAKESPEARE TO THE EMIRATES’
‘The Merchant of Venice’
United Arab Emirates University Al Multaqa Auditorium Al Ain
Ordinarily, ‘all that glisters is not gold’ but it was tonight at the Al Multaqa UAE University Social Club, where teaching staff from HCT , UAEU and Al Ain English Speaking School put together a glittering performance of Shakespeare’s comedy, ‘The Merchant of Venice’.
In the title role, Mike McPherson was loyal, generous and the perfect foil to John Rigg’s sensitive portrayal of Shylock. Mel Tyers (Gratiano), Caroline Goettsche (Jessica), Libby Stack (Portia), Ben McGrath (Lorenzo), Rick Johns (Bassanio), and Jeff Weiss (Judge), in fact the whole cast, contributed to a splendid evening’s performance that was professionally and convincingly delivered.
Jeff Weiss also directed the players and his experience learned in Vancouver, Canada, where he gained his BA in Theatre Studies showed; on and off stage, movement of the cast was exact, convincing and precise; the minutiae of all the entrances, exits, and movements was dealt with so that there were, as Jeff put it, “no empty spaces”.
From delivering a line to actually moving, Lorenzo (Ben McGrath) found that ‘on the stage, all movement is in curves; and he swept away his beloved Jessica as per directions.
Tricked in the final act of judgment, Shylock, resplendent in skull cap to mark his skullduggery, showed his dismay for all to see. Exultant in victory, Antonio’s relief was equally visible, with the devilish Gratiano rubbing salt in Shylock’s wounds with “O upright judge! Mark. O learned judge!” right in Shylock’s ear, repeating Shylock’s own comments only a moment earlier on the judge’s pronouncements, seemingly in Shylock’s favour.
Unwilling to show mercy, Shylock was arraigned by majestic Portia; “it(mercy) blesses him that gives”; he remained unblessed, stumbling at the hands of the law at the final hurdle, brandishing his knife with not a little relish before being denied his ‘pound of flesh’, Portia stating finally, “~as thou urgest justice, thou shalt have more justice than thou desir’st”.
Most pleasant contrast to the scenes in court was provided by Jessica and Lorenzo in Portia’s garden at Belmont; Shakespeare’s skill in creating images that would have stirred the audiences of the day, was beautifully and repetitively extolled with the famous lines that begin “In such a night ~”, first from Lorenzo waxing lyrical about the moon and the ‘sweet wind’ and then from Jessica, equally expressive on the events such a night would have witnessed down through the ages.
Shakespeare called this play a comedy, but a modern interpretation of the meaning of that word would have done little to mollify anyone coming to the play and expecting to be made to laugh much, but Bassanio’s (Rick Johns) joy at beholding Portia ensuring his never becoming a ‘heavy husband’ for her, was joyful; his prancing to and fro boisterous, his words joyous, and his species of ‘leapings and clappings’ perfectly and expressively executed upstage for all to see, hear and enjoy.
A very appreciative audience showed that the suspension of disbelief while being willing, was tonight totally unnecessary at this splendid evening’s entertainment.
All the proceeds of the performances were in aid of Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Doctors Without Borders, whose expressed mandate is:
To raise public awareness of the plight of the populations we treat
To raise funds for MSF missions around the world.
Let us hope the cast can be prevailed upon again soon to give us what we crave; more Shakespeare introduced to these shores.
Robert L. Fielding (Photos: Michael Rigg)
‘The Merchant of Venice’
United Arab Emirates University Al Multaqa Auditorium Al Ain
Ordinarily, ‘all that glisters is not gold’ but it was tonight at the Al Multaqa UAE University Social Club, where teaching staff from HCT , UAEU and Al Ain English Speaking School put together a glittering performance of Shakespeare’s comedy, ‘The Merchant of Venice’.
In the title role, Mike McPherson was loyal, generous and the perfect foil to John Rigg’s sensitive portrayal of Shylock. Mel Tyers (Gratiano), Caroline Goettsche (Jessica), Libby Stack (Portia), Ben McGrath (Lorenzo), Rick Johns (Bassanio), and Jeff Weiss (Judge), in fact the whole cast, contributed to a splendid evening’s performance that was professionally and convincingly delivered.
Jeff Weiss also directed the players and his experience learned in Vancouver, Canada, where he gained his BA in Theatre Studies showed; on and off stage, movement of the cast was exact, convincing and precise; the minutiae of all the entrances, exits, and movements was dealt with so that there were, as Jeff put it, “no empty spaces”.
From delivering a line to actually moving, Lorenzo (Ben McGrath) found that ‘on the stage, all movement is in curves; and he swept away his beloved Jessica as per directions.
Tricked in the final act of judgment, Shylock, resplendent in skull cap to mark his skullduggery, showed his dismay for all to see. Exultant in victory, Antonio’s relief was equally visible, with the devilish Gratiano rubbing salt in Shylock’s wounds with “O upright judge! Mark. O learned judge!” right in Shylock’s ear, repeating Shylock’s own comments only a moment earlier on the judge’s pronouncements, seemingly in Shylock’s favour.
Unwilling to show mercy, Shylock was arraigned by majestic Portia; “it(mercy) blesses him that gives”; he remained unblessed, stumbling at the hands of the law at the final hurdle, brandishing his knife with not a little relish before being denied his ‘pound of flesh’, Portia stating finally, “~as thou urgest justice, thou shalt have more justice than thou desir’st”.
Most pleasant contrast to the scenes in court was provided by Jessica and Lorenzo in Portia’s garden at Belmont; Shakespeare’s skill in creating images that would have stirred the audiences of the day, was beautifully and repetitively extolled with the famous lines that begin “In such a night ~”, first from Lorenzo waxing lyrical about the moon and the ‘sweet wind’ and then from Jessica, equally expressive on the events such a night would have witnessed down through the ages.
Shakespeare called this play a comedy, but a modern interpretation of the meaning of that word would have done little to mollify anyone coming to the play and expecting to be made to laugh much, but Bassanio’s (Rick Johns) joy at beholding Portia ensuring his never becoming a ‘heavy husband’ for her, was joyful; his prancing to and fro boisterous, his words joyous, and his species of ‘leapings and clappings’ perfectly and expressively executed upstage for all to see, hear and enjoy.
A very appreciative audience showed that the suspension of disbelief while being willing, was tonight totally unnecessary at this splendid evening’s entertainment.
All the proceeds of the performances were in aid of Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Doctors Without Borders, whose expressed mandate is:
To raise public awareness of the plight of the populations we treat
To raise funds for MSF missions around the world.
Let us hope the cast can be prevailed upon again soon to give us what we crave; more Shakespeare introduced to these shores.
Robert L. Fielding (Photos: Michael Rigg)
posted by Justice at 6:54 AM
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