Hansen, Claire (2015) Review: The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare’s comedy of cruelty. The Conversation, 25 May 2015.

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Abstract

[Extract] The Merchant of Venice (first published in 1600) boasts a problematic and sometimes controversial stage history.

During the second world war, Hitler’s “Reichsdramaturg” Rainer Schlösser organised a highly edited version of the play. In it, Shylock’s daughter Jessica was altered to his foster daughter to prevent German actresses from playing Jewish characters (for more, see John Drakakis’ Arden edition of The Merchant of Venice).

Far more recently, in 2012 the Globe Theatre in London featured a Hebrew performance by Israel’s Habima National Theatre. Demonstrators protested during the performances (read more about both the performance and the protests here and in this review).

Item ID:	52603
Item Type:	Article (Commentary)
Date Deposited:	23 Jul 2018 03:36
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