Whether you like Shakespeare or not, you must see this play.
It’s totally bonkers. Yet, brilliant and entertaining. Runs the emotional gambit, irreverent, relevant and engaging. The cast is outstanding, there is this charmingly obnoxious quality about it.
At one point you’re in the middle of this spectacle laughing and admiring the incredibly smart stage design, then, the modern dialogue switches to its Shakespearian roots. And the talented actors deliver inspite of the unhinged production designs and thematic liberties taken. It’s in my humble opinion, a gem.
Director Igor Golyak uncovers so many layers of his version of The Merchant Of Venice that starts as a fun late night tv show/cabaret and then evolves devolves and transforms into something much much more.
An original, inventive and irreverent take on a classic, framed around a live studio talk show and filled with broad humor, slapstick, and weird touches that include, among others, a unicycle, a giant pink unicorn and a vampire costume. puppets, video taping, bubble machines, a Groucho Marx nose/mustache for Shylock, “boo” prompts for the audience when Shylock enters, added songs. It’s a bit of a beautiful mess.
Adapted and directed by Igor Golyak, the story centers on Antonio (T.R. Knight), a Christian merchant, and Shylock (Richard Topol), a Jewish moneylender. Antonio’s friend Bassanio (José Espinosa) has borrowed a massive sum from Shylock, and offered Antonio as bond. But Shylock doesn’t like Antonio, who has insulted him and treated him with contempt. So Shylock demands a pound of Antonio’s flesh if he can’t make the payment in three months.
Knight starts out as a friendly cable TV host of “The Antonio Show,” which is about to present “Merchant.” But the character doesn’t have a significant part until the end, when Shylock prepares him for his demise. Antonio has accepted his fate.
Richard Topel movingly delivers the famous ‘Hath Not a Jew…’ speech in one of the only serious moments in this version of Shakespeare’s still slightly problematic play.
Topol’s talent is obvious, through full Groucho drag and Dracula fangs delivers The Bards famous monologue brilliantly.
“Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?“
Alexandra Silber is Portia, Shylock’s daughter, who loves Bassanio. Another plot is a lottery to win her hand in marriage. Bassanio finds himself in debt, in fact, because he’s trying to court Portia.
Who is dressed like Superman? Portia, as she is disguised as a lawyer representing Antonio in court. Her character as written possesses much power. But it was a bit in the nose.
Noah Pacht is good as Lorenzo, a friend of Bassanio and Antonio. So is Stephen Ochsner as Shylock’s servant — and as a clumsy TV crewman. Fedor Zhuravlev is the musician that plays guitar, keyboards, trumpet and drums impressively.
The production certainly takes its liberties with Shakespeare’s text this will wrinkle Bard purist. But casual attendees who have no knowledge of The Merchant Of Venice might get a little lost.
Come with an open mind, and you will be thoroughly entertained with a show that, just like the text it’s based on, is all fun and games until it isn’t.
“The Merchant of Venice,” through Sunday, Dec. 22, Classic Stage Company, 136 E. 13th St., New York, $47 to $137; 212-677-4210, classicstage.org/venice.
art credit:Classic Stage Company
