REVIEW: The Merchant of Venice (From This Is Wiltshire)

REVIEW: The Merchant of Venice

6:06pm Wednesday 4th July 2007

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Westwood Manor

Any attempt to stage an open-air Shakespeare in the extreme current climate deserves a bravery award.

In the Bradfordians' The Merchant of Venice last week at the magical Westwood Manor, any references to the gentle rain from heaven dropping like mercy seemed challenging fate.

But once the skies cleared, Simon Blacksell and Graham Billing's production, rather than the weather, proved to be like the curate's egg, to be "good in parts".

One excellent part, it must be said, was the great trial scene. Despite the large arena, a straggle of juvenile and female extras, and some distracting sound effects of the bombing of Iraq, the crucial debate between law and love came over freshly and effectively. This was largely due to Graham Billing's Shylock and Keely Beresford's Portia.

The roly-poly, almost pantomime Jewish money-lender smiled as he cursed, took risks by alienating the audience when he could have elicited sympathy, and generally surprised and challenged by a fresh take on this complex role. His howl of agony when forced to convert by the "merciful" Christians hammered home Shakespeare's bitter ironic twist.

Pitted against him was Portia in an impenetrable male disguise - a pasty-faced, bespectacled scholar, her blonde mane hidden by a severe black clerical ear-warmer. This Portia was a winning and human figure throughout. The only unconvincing aspect of her performance was the puzzle of what she saw in young Bassanio (Gareth Leake).

The cast was large and characters such as Gratiano (Andrew Creed) and Jessica (Felicity Courage) gave individuality and colour to their roles. But the original text could have done with more cutting.

One warmed to the melancholy merchant Antonio (David Gosling, in a performance which increased in pathos and gravitas) and I for one was not surprised when he was left alone in the darkness, still wondering why he was "so sad".

Sue le Blond

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