The Stage

The Merchant Of Venice

Published Monday 2 February 2009 at 12:45 by Chris High

Following its achievements in 2008, the Liverpool Playhouse has once again set itself high standards for 2009 from the off.

By giving room to this fabulously inventive production of The Merchant of Venice and in producing A Midsummer Night’s Dream to tour alongside, Propeller has undoubtedly pulled off a masterstroke.

The set for The Merchant of Venice - a rattling prison with mobile sections that roll to centre stage as and when required - is not only visually stunning, it also provides the necessary sense of entrapment and claustrophobia beautifully, leaving the prowess of the all male cast to ensure that all of the other boxes are ticked.

Jack Tarlton’s Bassanio, the instigator of all the trouble, is quite exceptional in the emotion he manages to pour into the role. Richard Clothier’s Shylock is just sinister enough while managing to avoid falling into the trap of becoming a darker incarnation of Fagin. Kelsey Brookfield’s outrageously feminine Portia and Chris Myles’ Nerissa are devilishly effective in their respective roles as scheming women, although somewhat unnerving in the way in which they walk in such high heels without each breaking an ankle.

With enough tension to string an armoury of crossbows, if there is one minor complaint it is that at as Shylock is about to take his pound of flesh from the gallant Antonio, played with great energy by Bob Barrett, there seems to be something electric missing in the resolution to the problem, so that it falls a little flat.

This said, however, Propeller’s Merchant of Venice remains a fascinating and exhilarating production that should viewed kindly wherever it may head off to next.