Review: Merchant of Venice 1936 at Birmingham Rep

★★★★★

Merchant of Venice 1936 transports Shakespeare's original text from the 16th century to 1930s Britain, during the rise of fascism and intolerance, set to the backdrop of The Battle Cable Street with projections of real-life news clippings from the period to help tell the story.

Starring Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders, Doctor Who) as the first-ever female Shylock, the powerhouse actor showcases exactly how relevant Shakespeare can still be today with a re-owning and re-imagining of the story that expands Shakespeare’s words and the story’s lens with its new slant in this latest version of the play.

This exciting condensed version of The Merchant of Venice – adapted and directed by Brigid Lamour with associate Director Tracy-Ann Oberman – is a sharp, punchy production that runs at just over 2 hours (with interval). Despite the text being edited down, it does not feel like you’ve lost any of the play’s main plot or message. In fact, the quickness of the play’s story in this production, alongside the dynamic casting (Joseph Millson, Georgie Fellows, Gavin Fowler, Mikhail Sen, Xavier Starr, Evie Hargreaves, Alex Zur, Elly Roberts) only serves to highlight further its moral, fighting against division.

An impactful, political piece of theatre, Merchant of Venice 1936 is a reminder of key events in British history, as the British Union of Fascists, led by Oswald Moseley, gained numbers. Yet, the play is also extremely timely, holding a mirror up to the political climate of the twenty-first century.  

As Tracy-Ann Oberman’s Shylock ends the play, “We are only as strong as those who stand with us,” a sentiment that rings bitterly true across the diversity of minorities in the UK, and beyond; and in that spirit, “They Shall Not Pass”.

  Merchant of Venice 1936 runs at Birmingham Rep Theatre until Saturday 5th April – limited tickets are still available – before transferring to Richmond Theatre from 8th April.

Content warnings: This is an adaptation of the original text, which contains themes of racism, including anti-Semitism. The production also contains scenes of threat and Nazi symbols.

This review was written following a press invite to the production.

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