Constantine Costi’s production for the Genesian Theatre Company delivers a clear, strong reading of William Shakespeare’s THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, first performed back in the court of King James in 1605.
Matters of the heart play a large part in this Shakespeare work and Costi comes up with what is, at times, a very romantic production. Highlights include the evocative scene when Bassiano wins Portia’s heart after choosing the right casket, and a more playful and equally well played scene when much later in the play, Portia and Nerissa, have a lend and a twist of their partners, Bassanio and Gratiano.
The centerpiece of this Shakespeare classic is the clash between arch rivals and adversaries, Venetian merchant Antonio (Andrew Fraser) and Jewish moneylender, Shylock, who both have strong personalities.
Geoff Sirmai’s fine performance gives audiences a Shylock that they can feel for. Here is a tough businessman who is vilified because of his religion and worse still is suffering because of his rebellious daughter, who has gone off with a Christian man. With Antonio vulnerable, he gets his chance to fight back! Andrew Fraser plays Antonio who as well tussling with Shylock has to also the internal demon, depression.
Other performances to catch the eye included Tiffany Stoecker’s very capable performance as Portia, Emily Sheehan’s high spirited turn Portia’s vivacious maid, Nerissa, Harriet Gordon Anderson’s impressive portrayal of Shylock’s rebellious daughter, Jessica, and Stephen Lloyd Coombs hilarious turn as the crotchety, deluded Prince of Aragon.
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE features two of Shakespeare’s greatest speeches, those of Portia’s ‘The quality of mercy is not strained’ and Shylock’s ‘Hath not a Jew eyes?’ and they are eloquently delivered by Stoecker and Sirmai respectively.
John Harrison’s set worked well. The dominant feature was Venice lit up in large gold lettering at the back of the stage. When the action turns awry some of the letters are dimmed. When Portia took centre stage one of the letters became like the back of her throne as she ‘sifted’ through her suitors. Together with Michael Schell’s at times bold lighting choices, it was all clever stuff!
A well realised night of Shakespeare, Constantine Costi’s production of William Shakespeare’s THE MERCHANT OF VENICE opened at the Genesian Theatre, 420 Kent street, Sydney on Saturday 18th February and runs until Saturday 31st March, 2012.
© David Kary
Tags: Sydney theatre reviews- THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, SYDNEY PLAY OF THE WEEK, Genesian Theatre, Constantine Costi, Andrew Fraser, Stephen Lloyd Coombs, Ray Mainsbridge, Brendan Cain, Tiffany Stoecker, Emily Sheehan, Geoff Sirmai, Harriet Gordon Anderson, Jasper Garner Gore, Dimitri Aramatas, Mark Banks.