Review: The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare at Traquair

Neve Scott (Portia) and Kath Mansfield (Nerissa)Neve Scott (Portia) and Kath Mansfield (Nerissa)
Neve Scott (Portia) and Kath Mansfield (Nerissa)
Director David Bon's timely reimagining adaptation of The Merchant of Venice in the wake of violence in Israel and Gaza and the surge in antisemitism hatred, was a daring decision.

He pondered the question. Should we be producing it at all, and thankfully the answer was yes.

This 1920s adaptation explores justice, mercy, revenge, love, and friendship. There were many dark parts to it, but David Bon masterfully crafted comedy into the scenes.

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I arrived at the beautiful grounds of Traquair House for the promenade performance.

A gaggle of children burst out onto the green playing, some selling onions and bananas for ducats. I smiled...we are off to a good start.

Bassanio (Robert Rychel) comes in on the first scene wearing a coat that would have suited Only Fools and Horses alter ego Del Boy! I half expected him to rub his hands together and ask for "buckets of ducats - lovely jubbly!"

Bassanio needs money to travel to Belmont to woo Portia. He asks his friend Antonio (Matt Davies) for funds, but his wealth is tied up in ventures at sea.

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With no other option, they visit Shylock for a loan and he agrees under one condition - if Antonio doesn't pay back on time, he must pay with a pound of his own flesh.

Rychel and Davies have great chemistry, and their fear is palpable in the court scene later in the performance.

Comedy comes into play when we are introduced to Lancelot, superbly played by cheeky chappy (Mike Boyd) and the hilariously drunk Graziano (Angus Shearer) Salarino (Dean Meadows) and Salanio (Will Tillotson).

Lorenzo (Daniel Askew) has fallen for Shylock's daughter Jessica (Evangeline Perry).

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The pair use the cover of that night's revels to elope and marry.

Shylock (Scott Noble) in his famous "hath not a Jew eyes?" speech is something to behold. He points out, using rhetorical questions, to persuade the audience that Jewish people are like everyone else. "If you prick us, do we not bleed?"

Noble's impassioned delivery asserts the common humanity between Jewish and Christian people.

At that moment, not even the resident Peacocks caw could drown out Noble's speech. An actor, so exceptional, he could well be performing in the West End before long.

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Following this intense scene, we are enticed by musicians singing a lovely rendition of Ain't She Sweet - and it was certainly the perfect tune to introduce us to the beautifully wealthy heiress, Portia (Neve Scott) and her lady companion (Kath Mansfield).

In their 1920s era costumes, they giggled as they played chess while sipping champagne. Here we learnt of Portia's predicament - “O me, the word “choose!” I may neither choose whom I would nor refuse whom I dislike—so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father.”

From the very first line, Scott has the audience in the palm of her hand. Portia calls for the mastery of many lines, and Scott conveyed them with clarity. She graced the grounds well, engaging a large audience with conviction, and fully embodied the character she was playing.

Both Scott and Mansfield were the perfect, witty combination. As Nerissa plucks undesirable suitors from the audience, Portia rouses laughter with her cutting remarks of the men.

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Portia's fate is sealed by three caskets. If a suitor chooses the one with her portrait enclosed, she will marry him.

After two failed attempts, in walks Bassanio, who just so happens to know which one the fair Portia is locked inside.

Meanwhile, love is in the air for Nerissa and Graziano...well maybe not so much for Nerissa, and she makes this very clear, much to the amusement of the audience.

Mansfield is a truly talented Shakespearean actress.

Meanwhile, the future looks bleak for Antonio as all his ships have sunk and Shylock wants his pound of flesh!

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The harrowing courtroom scene is upon us and boy does it deliver. Shylock whets his knife, anticipating a judgement in his favour, until two young lawyers from Padua turn up (Portia and Nerissa) in disguise.

Following Portia's quality of mercy speech, I overhear a whisper in the crowd asking if it was the same actress in the scene before, and I can see why one would ask that question, because Scott completely switches character. Her body language changes and her voice deepens.

Scott and Noble bring intensity to the scene and are, without question, outstanding performers.

Antonia's shirt is ripped open, and it looks as though Shylock may get his pound of flesh, but an unexpected twist is thrust upon us, Portia tells Shylock that the bond allows him no more than a pound of flesh and not a drop of blood.

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The plot thickens when she finds Shylock guilty of plotting the death of a Venetian and subject to the penalty of forfeiting his estate and suffering execution. "Beg that thou mayst have leave to hang thyself", Graziano hollers, along with a group merciless spectators shouting "Hang, hang, hang!

Shylock's life is spared, but he is forced to convert to Christianity.

Portia leans down to him and asks, "Art thou contented, Jew?" He concedes, "I am content".

Bassanio and Graziano make the foolish decision to give their wedding rings as payment to the lawyers - a decision they later regret!

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Back in Belmont, the honeymoon period is over for Jessica and Lorenzo, (Perry and Askew give a strong performance) and it's not helped by Portia shamelessly flirting with him.

As the others depart, a figure appears, Shylock. I could not take my eyes off of him as he sombrely walked through the crowd, to the melancholy sound of the violin. It was a very moving moment.

Later I read on my programme that one of the founders of Shakespeare at Traquair, Richard Nisbet, had sadly passed away this year.

He has certainly left a lasting legacy.

And I wonder, perhaps Noble drew some of his grief and channelled it into what was a hauntingly beautiful ending to this play.

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