Shylock Versus the Merchant of Venice

Summary

1964 BBC production for schools of Shylock Versus the Merchant of Venice (the trial scene from Shakespeare’s play). This was the second of two programmes for schools on the theme of justice; the first, broadcast on the previous Tuesday (20 October 1964), was Rosemary Hill’s dramatisation of Prosper Mérimée’s story Mateo Falcone (about a bandit who takes the law into his own hands) which also served as an epilogue to a broadcast of The Caucasian Chalk Circle.

Theatre play

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare [more information]

Play synopsis

'Antonio, the merchant of Venice, lends three thousand ducats to his friend Bassanio in order to assist him in his wooing of the wealthy and beautiful Portia of Belmont, an estate some distance from Venice. But Antonio’s own money is tied up in business ventures that depend on the safe return of his ships from sea, so he borrows the money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender whom he has previously insulted for his high rates of interest. Shylock lends the money against a bond whereby failure to repay the loan on the agreed date will entitle Shylock to a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Portia’s father has decreed that she will marry whichever suitor makes the correct choice when presented with three caskets, made of gold, silver and lead. Where wealthy suitors from Morocco and Aragon fail, Bassanio succeeds by choosing lead. His friend Gratiano marries Portia’s lady-in-waiting Nerissa at the same time. News arrives that Antonio’s ships have been lost; he is unable to pay his debt. Shylock’s claim to his pound of flesh is heard in the law court before the duke. Unknown to their husbands, Portia disguises herself as a young male lawyer acting on behalf of Antonio, Nerissa as a clerk. Portia’s ingenious defence is that Shylock is entitled to his pound of flesh but not to spill any of Antonio’s blood; she argues that the Jew should forfeit his life for having conspired against the life of a Venetian. The duke pardons Shylock on condition that he gives half his wealth to Antonio and half to the state. Antonio surrenders his claim on condition that Shylock converts to Christianity and leaves his property to his daughter Jessica, whom he has disinherited for running away with her Christian lover Lorenzo. Portia and Nerissa then assert their power over Bassanio and Gratiano by means of a trick involving rings that the men have promised never to part with. Finally there is good news about Antonio’s ships.' (Source: http://www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/merchantofVenice.html.)

Production history

First performed around 1600.

Date of transmission

Tuesday 27 October 1964

Time

2.05-2.35pm

Series

Schools

Channel

BBC1

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Ronald Eyre

Playwright

William Shakespeare

Designer

Stuart Walker

Cast

Alan MacNaughtan (1920-2002)	Shylock
Michael Malnick	The Duke of Venice
Frank Moorey	Salanio
Michael Murray	Gratiano
Terry Palmer	Bassanio
Bridget Turner	Portia
Donald Webster	Antonio

Additional details

Later transmissions

Repeated on Wednesday 28 October 1964 at 11.05pm and on 3 November 1964 at 2.05pm.

Programme context tags

schools television programming

Audiovisual sources

Title

Shylock Versus the Merchant of Venice (BBC, 1964)

Archive

BBC Information and Archives [more information]

Address

White City
London
UK

Telephone

+44 (0)20 8008 2288

Website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/informationandarchives/

Access

BBC Information and Archives is not open to the public.

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 22 October 1964 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing, p. 37