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Review
Thanks to an interesting coincidence, a new CD recording of The Merchant of Venice has appeared on the Naxos Audiobooks label. I finished listening to it on the very day that I watched an episode of John Barton's marvelous 'Playing Shakespeare' master class on DVD, in which Patrick Stewart and David Suchet switched Shylocks in some of that character s famous moments. Not only were their readings radically different, but their very bodies and facial expressions added to the masterful but different characterizations. I labor the obvious, because it is difficult to judge a performance accurately from an audio medium rather than from a visual one. I am sure that this Naxos version was based on the much-celebrated performance of Antony Sher as Shylock. I found it hard to get a good idea of how he might have looked on stage, but he came across vocally as a man who has kept his dignity at the expense of great suffering all these years, and is then driven into madness by his daughter running off with a good deal of his riches. The question of the play's possible anti-Semitism is best avoided here; but a lot depends on Shylock to treat the subtext one way or the other. The fact that the rest of the cast is just as greedy for money as Shylock is well handled, such as laughter at the money lender. Although his role is fairly small, Roger Allam creates a noble Antonio, while Emma Fielding (Portia) and Cathy Sara (Nerissa) handle their first scene with good pacing and humor. It is not clear if Portia knows in the trial scene exactly how she is going to beat Shylock, or if she is winging it, but any director would be hard put to 'show' that on a CD. I like that the Prince of Aragon (Sam Dastor) and Prince of Morocco (Ray Fearon) are not played as pantomime fools, but instead show just enough arrogance to get what they deserve in choosing the wrong caskets. Good grades go to director John Tydeman. Older recordings I have heard feature Tony Church, Hugh Griffith and Trevor Peacock as Shylock. This new set surpasses them all. --Frank Behrens, SentinelSource
Product Description
Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, agrees to lend Antonio, a Venetian merchant, three thousand ducats so that his friend Bassanio can afford to court his love, Portia. However, Shylock has one condition: should the loan go unpaid, he will be entitled to a pound of Antonio's own flesh. Meanwhile in Belmont, according to the terms of her father's will, Portia's many suitors must choose correctly from three caskets. Bassanio arrives at Portia's estate and they declare their love for one another before he picks the correct casket. Antonio falls into bad fortune and finds he cannot repay Shylock: a dramatic trial ensues to decide his fate.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This will always be a 'problem' play for modern audiences, but the entire cast of this production is outstanding and Anthony Sher may well be the best Shylock ever. It's worth listening to just for the pleasure of bathing in some great acting.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I bought this for my husband, who is a great Shakespeare fan, and was not disappointed. This is a truly wonderful audio production. The excellent quality of the cast becomes apparent as the tale unfolds, and the story comes to life. We were pleasantly 'stunned' by the quality, and wish we could see this full cast perform the production 'live'. Excellent, wonderful, gripping. Buy it, listen & enjoy.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
I Will Have MY BOND!
16 Feb 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This will always be a "problem" play for modern audiences, but this recording is a pleasure simply due to the great performances of an outstanding cast. Sir Anthony Sher, however, towers above all as perhaps the best Shylock ever.
Merchant of Venice - A Review
17 Jan 2011
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This performance, a reading on CD, is very well done by an able British cast. The diction is excallent. The differentiation of character's voices is good. The character of Shylock can be played or interpreted in many ways. In this performance there is great emphasis on "revenge" whenever it appears in the text. Portia's infatuation for Bassanio is made quite clear. Listen to this performance as well as others get to know the many dimensions of this play.
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