The Merchant of Venice [extracts]

Summary

BBC production of extracts from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.

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

Thursday 1 April 1937

Time

9.02pm (14 mins)

Series

Scenes from Shakespeare

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Stephen Thomas

Playwright

William Shakespeare

Cast

Robert Atkins (1886-1972)	Prince of Morocco
Thea Holme	Nerissa
Phyllis Neilson-Terry	Portia

Additional details

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Print sources

Title

BBC Television Programme Records: vol. 1, 1937-38 (Book)

Reference

London: British Broadcasting Corporation, 1938

Linking notes

listing on p. 25

Title

Radio Times, 26 March 1937 (Magazine)

Linking notes

the listing on p. 3 does not name the play, but it accords with the record in the BBC Television Programme Records volume