The Merchant of Venice

by William Shakespeare. Believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598, and possibly first performed at the court of King James in the spring of 1605, followed by a second performance a few days later.

The play was apparently not performed further in the 17th century and the next recorded production is in 1701, when a popular adaptation, titled The Jew of Venice, by George Granville was done. This became the preferred version for more than a century.

Performance history in South Africa

Ironically yet understandably, given its racial theme, this play has been enormously popular in South Africa.

In the original English

First English performance****.

1847: Performed by the Garrison Players in the Garrison Theatre on Wednesday 8 September 1847, with as an afterpiece My Daughter, Sir!, or A Daughter to Marry (Planché); on Friday 17 September 1847 with as afterpiece Jack Bragg (Hook) and Thurday 9 December 1847 with as afterpiece The Infant of Spain.

1920: A significant production of this Shakespeare play was staged by the Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society as its début opened on 6 August 1920 in the Railway Institute Hall in Cape Town. The cast included most of the top amateur actors then active, and the design by S.J. Wray was the first to introduce the revolutionary ideas of Edward Gordon Craig to South Africa. In all, only eight performances were given in Cape Town and surrounds, but the production was a hit with both public and critics and managed to turn a tidy profit of £100. The first professional performance was apparently ***.

1985: PACOFS 1985, directed by Ken Leach with Richard Haines, Richard Carlsson, Malcolm Terry.

1992: Maynardville Production. Directed by Janice Honeyman. Set designed by Peter Cazalet, costumes by Birrie le Roux. Starring André Jacobs, Gavin van den Berg, Basil Appollis, Pauline O'Kelly, Michelle Scott, Robert Whitehead, Fiona Ramsay, .

2008: Maynardville Production. Presented by The Maynardville Theatre Trust and Artscape. Directed by Roy Sargeant. Set designed by Keith Anderson. Costume designed by John Caviggia. Original music composed by Michael Tuffin. Lighting designed by Faheem Bardien. Sound designed by Lynley Pillay. Assistant director and voice coach Megan Choritz. Cast: Antonio, a merchant of Venice: Graham Weir. Salerio, friend to Antonio and Bassanio: Stephen Jubber. Solanio, friend to Antonio and Bassanio: Friedrich Smit. Bassanio, Antonio's friend, and suitor to Portia: Clayton Boyd. Grazanio, friend to Antonio and Bassanio: Scott Sparrow. Lorenzo, in love with Jessica: Francesco Nassimbeni. Portia, a rich heiress, of Belmont: Tessa Jubber. Nerissa, her gentlewoman: Juliet Jenkin. Shylock, a rich Jew: Jeremy Crutchley. The Prince of Morocco, suitor to Portia: David Johnson. Lancelot Gobbo, Clown, servant to Shylock: Darron Araujo. Old Gobbo, Lancelot's father: David Crichton. Jessica, daughter to Shylock: Jacqui du Toit. The Prince of Arragon, suitor to Portia: John Caviggia. The Duke of Venice: David Crichton. Servant to Antonio: David Johnson. Other roles played by: Andrie:tte Beukes, Buddy-Bo Butler, Jerome Chapman, Marko Coetzee, Clive Gilson, Alex Tops.

Sources

Programme notes of the Maynardville production in 2008.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mock_Doctor

Bosman, 1928: 150, 171, 219, 338-340, 396.

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

In translation or adapted form

The play has been translated into a number of South African languages over the years.

Dutch

A bowdlerized Dutch version by an unknown author, called De Jood en de Christen, of de Gevolge der Lichtzinnigheid, was performed in Cape Town by members of the Dutch amateur company Vlyt en Kunst in the Kaapschen Schouwburg in August 1838, with Jantje Puk, of Den Doctor tegen Wil en Dank (a Dutch translation of Le Médecin Malgré Lui by Molière).

Sources

Bosman, 1928: 339-340,

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

Afrikaans

Translated into Afrikaans as Die Koopman van Venesië by D.F Malherbe ( Afrikaanse Pers Boekhandel, 1949). First performed by NTO, directed by Fred Engelen and opening at the Little Theatre in Cape Town in 1953, with Pieter Bredenkamp, Louw Verwey, Hermien Dommisse, Paul Malherbe, Fred le Roux and Chris van den Berg. Costume designs by Mavis Taylor (designs also used in later productions in Antwerp.)

This was produced by Volksteater in 1950, directed by ** and featuring **.

Translated into Afrikaans as Die Koopman van Venesië by Anna S. Pohl (DALRO, 1969) This was produced by PACT in 1969, directed by Francois Swart and featuring **.

As Die Sakeman van Venesië, translated by Tjaart Potgieter, presented by PACT at the State Theatre and the Alexander Theatre, 1991, directed by Ilse van Hemert with Eghard van der Hoven, Ithumeleng Wa-Lehulere, André Stolz, Gys de Villiers, Kevin Smith, André Odendaal, Albert Maritz, Marius Meyer, Francois Viljoen, Patrick Mynhardt, Jan Stoop, Tjaart Potgieter, Francois Potgieter, Brümilda van Rensburg, Susan Coetzer, Megan Coritz. Designs by James MacNamara, lighting by Stan Knight.

Sources Die Sakeman van Venesië theatre programme, 1991.

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

Northern Sotho

Translated as Mogwebi wa Venisi by N.C. Phatudi (Published by Maskew Miller Longman, 1985),

Sources

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

Southern Sotho

Translated as Mohwebi wa Venisi by K.E. Ntsane (published by A.P.B. in 1961), into Setswana as Morekisi wa Venisi by M.O.M. Seboni (publised by Lovedale Press, 1961).

Sources

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

Sources

Bosman, 1928: pp 396,

The Mime, 1(3), 1928.

Teaterwoordeboek, Vaktaalburo, 1977.

PACOFS Drama 25 Years, 1963-1988.

PACT Info, (2), 1992.

Nel, 1972

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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