Pocket Merchant @ Norwich Playhouse
Very well delivered and produced.
The Propeller Theatre Company performed to a full (Play) house last night; the story was serious, the atmosphere was tense, the jokes provided much needed relief and the audience loved it.
This is the third time I have been lucky enough to see a Pocket show and, as always, I was incredibly impressed by their ability to squeeze so much information, language and plot into one hour and still managed to deliver a truly authentic Shakespearian experience.
The all-male cast played a range of characters, some fixed to one character (the strong protagonist roles of Antonio and Shylock were perfectly executed) while others shape shifted from jailer to servant to Duke, from man to woman. It was the character of Portia that won the heart of both Bassanio and the audience with (his) her sassy attitude, her sarcastic wit and cunning plots.
In comparison to the Pocket Comedies, Merchant of Venice was performed in a much more minimal, serious, hard hitting fashion. The racist undertones of the story line clearly had an impact on a modern audience, however the subject matter was handled tactfully and appropriately. The set consisted of six wooden chairs and a cage on wheels and the costumes were very plain with just little details of a crucifix or a waistcoat to differentiate between religion and status of the character.
In my opinion it was this minimal approach that helped highlight the powerful and gripping storyline. Very well delivered and produced. Another success for Propeller.
8/10
