This thoroughly modern production of the Merchant of Venice forms part of Chichester’s 2003 “Festival of Venice”. In the Festival Theatre, Alison Chitty — the set designer — has almost doubled the width of the stage with the aim of improving the relationship of stage to audience for those sitting at the sides of this amphitheatre. This new stage has been fitted with a fibreglass skin to create a pool containing some 9800 litres of water. For the Merchant of Venice production, four movable walkways and a much larger section the shape of a diamond are cleverly manoeuvred about in the ankle deep water by the stage hands to create canals and land mass. The use of different shades of grey for both the set and the actors’ clothing creates a unified effect. The lighting is subdued with a stage-width backdrop of reflections from the watery surface — very effective. A music ensemble comprising violin, clarinet and keyboard was very appropriate and not intrusive.

The play opens in Venice with the merchants entering from either side of the wide stage and adjacent to the front rows, as if walking along the banks of St Mark’s Canal, and launching their boats into the water sending them off hopefully to make their fortunes. All men are dressed in different grey suits and homburgs, and the ladies in grey three-quarter length dresses, all in a style reminiscent of the 1920s.

And so the well known story begins. Antonio agrees to be the security for a loan for his friend Bassanio; Bassanio wants to woo Portia but has no money. The moneylender is Shylock the Jew, who insists on a bond of security whereby if the loan is not repaid he will extract a pound of flesh from Antonio. Bassanio goes off to woo Portia. Before his death Portia’s father had devised a method whereby the successful suitor for his daughter would need to select a box, from among many, containing Portia’s portrait. In two very amusing scenes unsuccessful suitors choose the gold and silver caskets respectively but in a later scene Bassanio chooses the one made from lead and wins Portia’s hand. Bassanio then learns that all Antonio’s ships have floundered and he is bankrupt. Shylock now demands his pound of flesh. Off Bassanio goes to plead Antonio’s case in the courtroom scene. Unbeknown to him Portia, dressed in wig and gown, arrives at court and puts forward several legal arguments on behalf on Antonio. Shylock can only have his pound of flesh, no blood, and as this is impossible Antonio is freed. There is a sub-plot involving Jessica, Shylock’s daughter, and several other minor plots with the fool balancing the main story although these do not interact with the audience as in so many of Shakespeare’s plays.

Desmond Barrit as Shylock is excellent, speaking with clarity and understanding. At one point he is so distraught he ends up on his back in the canal and finishes the scene dripping water everywhere. Antonio is played very competently by Philip Quast, as is Patrick Robinson’s Bassanio. Niamh Cusak is an adequate Portia who, I felt, was outshone by Alexandra Moen as Jessica.

The water was used to very good effect. Not only did we have the small boats in Acts I and II but after the interval we also had dozens of night lights floating on the surface helping to create a magical night time atmosphere. The simple set was used very imaginatively and to great effect.

Certainly this dark comedy of love and money, where everything depends upon appearances and nothing is quite what it appears, is well worth seeing. © JMB

“The Merchant of Venice” is at Chichester in repertoire from the 6th of June until the 2nd of October, 2003.