The Merchant of Venice

Summary

1980 BBC production of The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, presented in the BBC Television Shakespeare series.

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

Wednesday 17 December 1980

Time

8.10-10.50pm, with interval at 9.50pm

Series

BBC Television Shakespeare

Channel

BBC2

Production company

BBC

Credits

Director

Jack Gold

Producer

Jonathan Miller

Lighting

Dennis Channon

Playwright

William Shakespeare

Composer

Carl Davis (incidental music)

Designer

Oliver Bayldon

Costume Designer

Raymond Hughes

Make-up Artist

Marion Richards

Script Editor

David Snodin

Cast

Richard Austin	Antonio’s Servant
Kenneth Cranham	Gratiano
Alan David	Solanio
Arnold Diamond	Tubal
John Franklyn-Robbins	Antonio
Peter Gale	Prince of Arragon
Joe Gladwin	Old Gobbo
Adrian Harman	Musician
Susan Jameson	Nerissa
Gemma Jones	Portia
Roger Martin	Leonardo
Daniel Mitchell	Balthasar
Warren Mitchell	Shylock
Richard Morant	Lorenzo
John Nettles	Bassanio
Enn Reitel	Launcelot Gobbo
John Rhys-Davies	Salerio
Shaun Scott	Stephano
Leslee Udwin	Jessica
Douglas Wilmer	Duke of Venice
Marc Zuber	Prince of Morocco

Audiovisual sources

Title

The Merchant of Venice (BBC, 1980)

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, 11 December 1980 (Magazine)

Linking notes

article, pp. 6-7; listing, p. 65