Beach=Culture and Shakespeare Santa Monica presents The Merchant Of Venice. Performed outside the Marion Davies Guest House, the play runs 100 minutes without intermission. Please make a seat reservation (details below) and bring appropriate outerwear/sunscreen – it can get hot in the sun!
In Venice, the world center both of commerce and intrigue, the young Bassanio is in love with the beautiful heiress Portia. In order to woo her, he appeals to his friend Antonio for a loan. With his money tied up in trade across the oceans, Antonio enters into a bond with the moneylender Shylock to help his young friend, and agrees to pay or forfeit the famous “pound of flesh”. Drawn together by this bond, the two become embroiled in a battle for money, flesh, faith, and honor, culminating with one of the greatest court room scenes ever devised. With dramatic speeches, cross-dressing, fairy-tale choices, last-minute reprieves, and comic asides The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare’s lasting theatrical triumphs.
Played sympathetically by some of the greatest actors of the day from the Victoria era onward, Shylock continues to be one of Shakespeare’s most remembered and misunderstood characters in the canon, despite only appearing in five scenes. Though still controversial, the play’s complex sentiments are leavened by tremendous and thought-provoking soliloquies concerning, love, tolerance, equality and mercy.
The Merchant of Venice will star Southern California stage favorite Apollo Dukakis as Shylock and Emmy-Award winning actress Jennifer Landon as Portia. Directed by Shakespeare Santa Monica Artistic Director John Farmanesh-Bocca.
When: Wed – Fri, 7/21-23 & 7/28-30, 4:30-6:00pm
Tickets: Free, reservations required at http://www.eventbrite.com/org/199463539.
Where: Annenberg Community Beach House, 415 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica CA 90402
Tours: Docents from the Santa Monica Conservancy will lead a 30-minute tour of the Beach House at 2pm on Thursday and Friday afternoons. No tours on Wednesdays.
Food: Back on the Beach Cafe open 8am-8pm, Mondays 8am-3pm.
Directions: Accessible from the Beach Bike Path, bike parking available – bring your own lock. By car: from the Pacific Coast Highway north of the California Incline, turn at the Beach House Way traffic light into convenient parking (weekdays, $8/day).
Info: http://annenbergbeachhouse.com/cultural-programs, (310) 458-4904
