The Merchant of Venice 1936

Playhouse

Tue 4 – Sat 8 Feb 2025

Price £11 - £41

Running time: 2hrs (includes an interval)
Age range: 8+
Content warnings: Contains themes of racism, including antisemitism. This production uses loud noises, haze and a vape. Grape juice may be offered to the audience as part of the performance.
Post-show Discussion: Thu 6 Feb with Tracy-Ann Oberman and members of the cast after the matinée. Free to attend with a ticket to the performance.

Ambition, power and political unrest explode onto the stage in The Merchant of Venice 1936, direct from selling out the RSC and London’s West End.

Starring Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders, Doctor Who) as Shylock, Shakespeare’s classic is transported to 1930s Britain in this “striking and impactful” (Guardian) new production that “makes theatre history” (The Telegraph). It is adapted by Brigid Larmour and Tracy-Ann Oberman.

Tensions in London’s East End are rising and Shylock, a resilient single mother and hard-working businesswoman, is desperate to protect her daughter’s future. When the charismatic merchant Antonio comes to her for a loan, a high-stakes deal is struck. Will Shylock take her revenge, and who will pay the ultimate price?

If you prick us do we not bleed?
If you poison us do we not die?
And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?

Don’t miss this unforgettable, electrifying new production of The Merchant of Venice, a “fascinating and timely” (Daily Mail) reminder of a key moment in British history.

merchantofvenice1936.co.uk