GALWAY’S ONE Shot World Productions bring their dark version of Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice to the Black Box Theatre shortly in a run that will see the hard-working cast present 10 performances in just four days from December 7 to 10, with starting times of 11am, 2pm, and 8pm.
One Shot World’s staging updates the action from the 16th century to present-day Venice. Melancholy Antonio (Gerard Fallon ) loves the youthful Bassanio (Graham Feeley ), so when Bassanio asks for 3,000 ducats, Antonio says yes before knowing it’s to sue for the hand of Portia (Emma Eliza Regan ).
His capital tied up in merchant ships at sea, Antonio must go to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender he reviles. Shylock (Barry Keane ) wraps his grudge in kindness, offering a three-month loan at no interest, but if not repaid, Antonio will owe a pound of flesh.
Shylock’s daughter elopes with a Christian, whetting Shylock’s hatred. While Bassanio’s away wooing Portia, Antonio’s ships founder, and Shylock demands his pound of flesh. With court assembled and a judgment due, Portia swings into action to save Bassanio’s friend but will it be enough?
While it is the merchant Antonio who gives the play its title, it is the Jewish moneylender Shylock who is its most memorable character. Barry Keane, who takes the role here, has previously appeared in One Shot World’s stagings of Reservoir Dogs and The Weir, having previously featured with Oranmore’s Buala Bos company.
Speaking ahead of the play’s opening he outlined how the company was approaching the play, and how he himself was tackling the role of Shylock.
“Stephen [Kenny, the director] is setting out to give the play a modern feel rather than changing anything in the story, so we’re keeping the entire Shakespearean text,” he says. “When Stephen asked me to do Shylock I was delighted to have the opportunity of doing what is one of the great theatre classics.
“I read the play over and over again to try and get a feel for it, then I watched other interpretations of the role to see what different actors had brought to it, then I sat down and thought about it. I see Shylock as a very proud individual, proud of who he is, and where he comes from. The slights he receives from the Christians in the course of the play eventually wear him down and when he sees this opportunity to take revenge he grabs it with both hands. Of course by the end of the play he’s completely broken because his plan backfires.”
The anti-Semitism depicted in the play was very much a feature of life in 16th century Venice. Does Keane feel that aspect retains its vividness with the action being moved to the present day?
“I think so, those kinds of tensions are still relevant today,” he declares. “Here in Ireland, though we might not have seen anti-Semitism, we’ve all seen the animosity there has been between Protestants and Catholics in the recent past so that theme of sectarianism and religious animosity which the play deals with is still very relevant.”
How does Keane expect to cope with the demands of doing 10 shows in four days? “It is a bit daunting in one way but I love a challenge and I’m really looking forward to it,” he says. “I think it’s going to be a good production that people will enjoy watching.”
The cast also features Leigh Ann Pye, Barry Hopkins, Jude Quigley, Mike Mullen, David Sullivan, John Keane, Amanda Coyne, Gerard Faherty, Ollie Keogh, Micheal McDonagh, Andrew Neenan, John Glavin, and Stephen Burns.
Tickets are available from the Town Hall Theatre on 091 - 569777 or online at www.tht.ie
