British Universities Film & Video Council

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Merchant of Venice, The

Synopsis
Video recording, using a single, fixed camera, of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 1993 modern-dress production of The Merchant of Venice set in the world of the international stock exchange. Directed by David Thacker with David Calder as Shylock.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Video
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Recording date
13 Jan 1994
Duration
165 mins

Credits

Director
David Thacker
Writer
William Shakespeare
Music
Gary Yershon
Production Design
Sheila Keegan
Cast
David CalderShylock
Clifford RoseAntonio
Owen TealeBassanio
Penny DowniePortia
Mark LockyerGratiano
Christopher ColquhounOfficer/Waiter
Christopher LuscombeLauncelot Gobbo
Christopher RobbieDuke of Venice
Daniel YorkBarman/Officer
David WestonBalthazar
Gillett. DebraNerissa
Johanna BenyonBassanio’s PA
Kate DucheneJessica
Mark Lewis JonesLorenzo
Nick SimonsTubal
Ray FearonPrince of Morocco
Raymond BowersOld Gobbo
Richard ClothierSalerio
Stuart BunceCourt Officer
Tania LeveySinger
Tim HudsonSolanio

Additional Details

Theatre
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Theatre company
Royal Shakespeare Company
Production type
Stage Recordings
Historical period
1990s
Plays
Merchant of Venice, The
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes
A second master was recorded on the morning of 13 August 1994.
General
"Shelagh Keegan’s split-level set with its steel stairs, walkways and vast slanted tubes. At first it is a neo-brutalist office, packed with people making phone calls, tapping at computers or simply bustling about. Later it becomes a garish disco in which the MTV generation writhes away beneath throbbing red lights." Benedict Nightingale, The Times (London) 7 June 1993.
History
Press night 3 June 1993
Reviews
Luscombe, Christopher. ‘Launcelot Gobbo in The Merchant of Venice and Moth in Love’s Labour’s Lost’ in Smallwood, Robert (ed). Players of Shakespeare 4: Further Essays in Shakespearian Performance by Players with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998, pp18-29. [Discusses his roles as Launcelot Gobbo in David Thacker’s The Merchant of Venice and as Moth in Ian Judge’s Love’s Labour’s Lost].

Production Company

Name

Royal Shakespeare Company

Web
https://www.rsc.org.uk External site opens in new window
Address
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Waterside
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
CV37 6BB

Archive

Name

Shakespeare Centre Library and Archive

Email
scla@shakespeare.org.uk
Web
https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/ External site opens in new window
Phone
01789 204016 (bookings)
Fax
01789 262073
Address
Henley Street
Stratford-upon-Avon
CV37 6QW

Record Stats

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