The Merchant of Venice 1936, Watford Palace Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s tragedy starring Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders, Doctor Who, Friday Night Dinner) as Shylock, will embark on a U.K. tour this fall.
Prior to the tour, the production will play Watford Palace Theatre beginning February 27 and will subsequently transfer to HOME in Manchester for a run beginning March 15.
The tour will begin at Royal Shakespeare Company's Swan Theatre September 21 with additional tour stops at the Wycombe Swan Theatre, Malvern Theatres, Cardiff's New Theatre, York Theatre Royal, and Bromley's Churchill Theatre. Further dates will be announced at a later time.
Based on an idea by Oberman, director Brigid Larmour adapted the Shakespeare play, which is now set in 1936 London. Fascism is sweeping across Europe, and London teeters on the edge of political unrest as Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists threaten a paramilitary march through the Jewish East End. The march is set to launch from Cable Street where Shylock, a strong-willed single mother, runs a pawnbroking business out of her house.
"It has a been a lifelong dream of mine to bring this play to the stage in a new way, reimagining Shylock as a one of the tough, no-nonsense Jewish matriarchs I grew up around," said Oberman in a statement. "I am delighted this project is finally happening, and look forward to sparking debate and enlightening people about a pivotal, but largely forgotten part of British history—just how close the establishment were to Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists."
The production will feature costume and set design by Liz Cooke, lighting design by Rory Beaton, and sound design by Sarah Weltman. Erran Baron Cohen is the composer.
Trafalgar Theatre Productions and Eilene Davidson Productions present the production in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Visit MerchantOfVenice1936.co.uk.
