entertaining and challenging drama
What if Portia never came to Venice?
What if you could see into Bassanio’s heart?
Whence came Antonio’s hatred of Shylock?
Gabriel Bird (Antonio), Ollie Hiemann (Bassanio), Ruby Rutherston (Portia), Danielle Farrow (Shylock)
in the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe production (pictures Dug Campbell / Arbery Theatre)
“5 stars” – North West End
“4 stars” – edfringereview.com and Broadway Baby
“daring work, chilling, touching” – fringereview.co.uk
“a five star show” – one of many audience comments
In The Merchant of Venice, only Portia’s appearance in court and her implacable logic saves Antonio from Shylock’s knife. But what would happen if she never came to Venice? Bassanio’s need for money to woo Portia sets in motion the events that lead to the trial, but what are his real motives? And why is there so much hatred between Antonio and Shylock?
With echoes of Romeo and Juliet, events in A Pound of Flesh move relentlessly to a tragic end.
“A New Path Taken”
What prompted this version of a classic play? Read this article by writer/director Martin Foreman