The young company DONOTALIGHT brings to the stage a compelling play by Flora Wilson Brown that speaks for the new generation.
A minimal set (Victoria Maytom) comprises some rubber plants positioned on random flight cases. A central shoddy brown sofa, set obliquely, doubles as the front seats of a car.
Alice (Hannah Khalique-Brown) enters the darkened space (Lighting Designer Ryan Day), her face illuminated by the screen of a mobile phone into which she is about to tell her story; the only way she can come to terms with putting her years of trauma into words.
Max (Ethan Moorhouse) and Hannah (Martha Watson Allpress) meet as old university mates, lift-sharing as they drive to Bristol for a mutual friendβs wedding. The bride is Hannahβs former flame, it transpires. Enlightened direction (Harry Tennison) has the couple move freely about the space, engaging in rough and tumble, falling into slow motion scenes, all the while the car journey continues.
These two scenarios occur together in the same space and yet lie a distance apart. Sometimes the conversations coincide and the same words are spoken. At other times there appears a parallel mood between them. At first the technique seems clumsy and I fear that I cannot follow the two stories simultaneously; I worry I am missing something crucial. But the initial clash is intended and it sorts itself out as things progress.
Martha Watson Allpress and Ethan Moorhouse both excel in the relaxed friendship between Hannah and Max. Their smiles, laughter, and repartee are natural and free flowing. If Max is just a bit too much boy-next-door to be a convincing world-leading rock musician, maybe even megastars have a day off from their on-stage personas. Hannah Khalique-Brown is outstanding as the exposed and vulnerable Alice in what is essentially an extended monologue. Her initial quirky mannerisms underlining Aliceβs inherent nervousness develop into something else as she finds the courage to speak out, not just for herself but for others too. Some curious staging of a final scene as Alice talks of the future for the only time in the play is marred by her passive positioning, speaking upstage.
Flora Wilson Brownβs thoughtful and powerful script raises so many questions concerning behavioural responsibility and culpability, coercion, and self-doubt. If anyone should consider that the abuses brought to light through the #MeToo movement are only historical then Flora Wilson Brownβs direct and dynamic writing should redress those thoughts. It is only up to us to listen.
“Alexanderβs interpretation has only served to shine a brighter light on the problems of this story, resolving none of them”
At its best, Shakespeareβs The Merchant of Venice is wildly problematic. But, being so iconic, so confounding and complex, we just canβt simply do away with it. As with so much of Shakespeare, the prose has become idiomatic, and speeches such as Shylockβs heart-crushing, βIf you prick us, do we not bleedβ could no more be discarded than Hamletβs βTo be or not to beβ or Mercucioβs βA curse on both your houses.β But! Be all that as it may, the play remains problematic.
βShakespeare in Italyββs A Merchant in Venice promises a modern take on the old script, cutting the cast and focusing on only six characters and their relationships with one and other, wrestling with “Justice and Mercy, Marriage and Money, Race and Classβ and βthe tortured nature of love.β A modern take is exactly what this play needs, magnifying the complexities and drawing them out, and throwing away anything that no longer resonates with a contemporary audience. Unfortunately, adaptor and director Bill Alexander has completely wasted this opportunity.
The main thrust of the story is that a rich Venetian, Antonio (John McAndrew), guarantors a loan for his friend Bassanio (Alexander Knox) with moneylender Shylock (Peter Tate), affectionately termed βThe Jewβ for most of the play. Antonio being his longstanding enemy, Shylock only agrees to the loan on the term that should Antonio fail to repay the loan by its due date, Shylock should be entitled to a pound of Antonioβs flesh. When terrible misfortune causes Antonio to lose all his money, Shylock comes knocking.
With the loss of smaller parts, the remaining characters must carry their burden too. Portia (Lena Robin), for example is left to fend alone in her introductory speech, where once her handmaiden Nerissa would have made it a conversation. Rather than a witty back-and-forth regarding her ridiculous suitors, weβre left with a long, glib ramble, superficially improved by the use of a mobile phone prop in a poor attempt to modernise.
The script has been cut, and in some places, I believe actually rewritten. If youβre going to edit Shakespeare, do so boldly. Instead, the general semi-opacity of Shakespearian English remains, but much of the poeticism is lost. This might also be blamed on the delivery though, so I canβt put it all on the edit. I wasnβt sitting with a script on my lap, so I donβt know for certain what was cut and what wasnβt, only that, perhaps in an attempt to lighten the playβs hefty discussion of endemic racism, the plot has been simplified to goodies and baddies, the Venetians being the goodies, and βThe Jewβ the baddie. Which ironically makes for a far less modern discussion than is allowed in the unabridged version.
In a way, the productionβs lacklustre design- mostly black costumes and some fold-out chairs- and thoughtless stage set-up- a thrust stage, forcing the performers to show their back to much of the audience when giving their boldest speeches- simplifies things. Youβre not missing anything.
The only positive note is that Alex Wilsonβs Gratiano, is quite wonderful. His character is rich and complicated, playing the bully and obsequious friend to a tee, despite having very little to work with from the rest of the cast.
Obviously, a lot of people worked hard on this production, and I donβt suggest anyone had deviant or malicious intentions. But it is very much the case that Alexanderβs interpretation has only served to shine a brighter light on the problems of this story, resolving none of them. To a large extent itβs a poisoned chalice to begin with. Best leave it alone and pick a less controversial number, like Othello.
