“THE POUND OF FLESH, WHICH I DEMAND OF HIM,
IS DEARLY BOUGHT, TIS MINE AND I WILL HAVE IT.”
Similarly, if you have yet to catch The Singapore Repertory Theatre’s performance of The Merchant of Venice, do grab your tickets before it is too late. Shakespeare in the Park regularly draws a wide range of audiences, not only devotees of Shakespeare; it appeals to all, from regular theatre fans to novices in the field.
The Merchant of Venice, although one of Shakespeare’s more popular plays, is not always well received by audiences. Be it the unconcealed racism or an uneasiness due to the impure ‘hero’, this play is not without faults.
Antonio, the Christian ‘Merchant of Venice’, agrees to take a loan for his friend Bassanio, in order to assist him in his wooing of Portia, a wealthy and beautiful woman. Bassanio strikes a deal to borrow money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender whom Antonio has previously insulted for his high interest which he views to be ‘unchristian’. Shylock, driven by his grudge against Antonio, lends the money with a unique bond; the failure to repay the loan within the stipulated time will entitle Shylock to a pound of Antonio’s flesh. When Antonio’s ships bungle, Shylock demands his pound of flesh, cut from the area closest to his heart. With a jury assembled and a judgment due, Portia, now Bassanio’s wife, uses her intelligence to save Antonio.
The performance, although reinterpreted and performed within the 21st century scope, keeps its ancient roots by preserving the script. As director Bruce Guthrie, who also directed last year’s production of Othello, mentioned, “I think it will be different to the work we have done in previous years in the park. Othello was pretty huge and we very much went for an epic scale war drama. Merchant is more about action and consequence. It is about people taking control of situations when it appears they are trapped. From a visual point of view, the production is inspired by Singapore itself with inspiration drawn from the many types of architecture in Singapore to create a world for the play with a contemporary feel.”
It appears that he succeeded in this task as one attendee mentioned, “I really liked the Singaporean take on the play, how the Indian accent and Singaporean accents were tastefully included in the play”.
With a stellar cast consisting of seasoned actors such as Richard Corgan (Gratiano), Daniel Jenkins (Antonio), Perri Snowdon (Bassanio) and Julie Wee (Portia), it could be hard to find a character that truly stood out against the others. However, Ramesh Panickers’ ease in the character Shylock, does just this. Many an attendee commented on his skillful yet modest incorporation of ‘Singaporean-ness’ into his character, and this reviewer heartily agrees.
The play itself was well paced and clear, with a well selected soundtrack that not only set the mood, but also indicated scene changes so that the audience would not get lost. In fact, the performance was excellent in accommodating for those less agreeable with Shakespeare as the overall seriousness of the play was not hard to stomach due to the interspersed moments of levity and hilarity, from Sean Lai (Lancelot)’s sock puppets to the performer’s direct interaction with the audiences. During the trial scene, a lucky 30 members were chosen to go on stage as members of the jury. This break away from normal theatre practice was well received by audiences and – dare I say – prevented any monotony that may have arisen.
That said, it was hard to feel any monotony in the performance with the frequent costume changes that keep the characters fresh and riveting. Futhermore, the audience, majority female, were entranced with the handsome Perri Snowdon (Bassanio). Many watched with bated breath and cupped faces as he chose between the chests for Portia’s hand. Eager eyes watched and a round of cheers rose from the audience as he ran to claim his bride with a kiss. The chemistry between Bassanio and Portia, and the other couples, is not lost and lends to the overall notion of faith that true love will persist. It also helps that the actors appear to be at ease in their respective characters and do not try to overplay their roles.
Although the average age of attendees at Friday night’s performance looked to be 17, this is a performance that can be appreciated by absolutely anyone and everyone. There were some technical difficulties during the performance, a distinct lack of signs alerting patrons to the venue causing a mass of late comers and a general disregard for personal space. However, once the performance started, all other thought was lost as one becomes absorbed in the story. Hearts flutter as couples form, cry when they betray one another and cheer as they reconcile. At the base, The Merchant of Venice is a story about love, not just for your spouse, but also for your fellow man. Honesty and Justice are important, but so is Mercy.
Shakespeare in the Park’s The Merchant of Venice will play at Fort Canning, the Foothills, until the 25th of May 2014.
