The Merchant of Venice 1936 – Liverpool Playhouse

Writer: William Shakespeare

Adaptors: Tracey-Ann Oberman & Brigid Lamour

Director: Brigid Larmour

The Merchant of Venice 1936 at the Liverpool Playhouse is a powerful reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic, with its setting transposed to the politically charged backdrop of 1930s East London, amidst the rise of Oswald Mosley’s Blackshirts.

This production, which has already taken London’s West End by storm, is a bold and timely adaptation that delivers a compelling critique of prejudice and power dynamics, both then and now. The stellar performances, especially Tracy-Ann Oberman’s portrayal of Shylock, anchor the production’s emotional depth, imbuing the role with a fierce dignity and righteous anger. Oberman, who co-adapted the play with Brigid Larmour, brings a sharp, matriarchal energy to Shylock, reimagining the character as a Jewish pawnbroker in the face of mounting antisemitic persecution. Her Shylock is not merely a figure of vengeance, but a single mother desperately trying to protect her daughter’s future, making the infamous “pound of flesh” demand seem less like retribution and more like an act of survival. Much like Brecht’s heroic Mother Courage, Oberman’s Shylock exhibits a steely determination to survive, even at great personal cost. Her performance is magnetic and deeply personal, based on the story of her great-grandmother, and it serves as the heart of this production.

Georgie Fellows, as Portia, and Gavin Fowler, as Bassanio, bring a chilling aristocratic elegance to their roles, portraying the privileged and antisemitic elite with unsettling ease. Joseph Millson’s portrayal of Antonio is equally sharp, capturing the tension between the character’s outward charm and his underlying bigotry. The slick direction by Brigid Larmour ensures the production moves with a brisk pace, while the set design by Liz Cooke transports the audience into a dark, noir-inspired world, where period costumes and atmospheric projections set the stage for a dramatic clash of ideologies.

While the production excels in its visceral impact, there are moments where the storytelling feels a little disjointed. The subplot with Shylock’s daughter, Jessica, for example, is somewhat underdeveloped, and the political context, particularly the background of Mosley’s British Union of Fascists, is occasionally delivered too heavy-handedly. Despite these small flaws, the production’s core message of resistance against injustice resonates powerfully, particularly in the courtroom scene, where the perverse irony of Christian mercy is exposed, and Shylock’s forced conversion becomes a shocking symbol of her total dehumanisation.

The final scene, set against the backdrop of the Battle of Cable Street, is both bold and spine-tingling. While it might not make dramatic sense in the traditional sense, its emotional charge is undeniable, providing a powerful conclusion to a production that reframes Shakespeare’s play in a way that feels urgent and deeply relevant in today’s world. The Merchant of Venice 1936 is a must-see – a daring, timely, and deeply moving interpretation that challenges audiences to confront the dark realities of antisemitism and the power structures that perpetuate it. Oberman and Larmour’s collaboration is a triumph, making this adaptation a striking and impactful piece of theatre history.

Runs until Sat 8 Feb and continues on tour