The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare’s problem plays, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A Venetian merchant, Antonio, defaults on a large loan taken out on behalf of his dear friend, Bassanio, and provided by Jewish moneylender, Shylock, with seemingly inevitable fatal consequences.
The play explores themes of risk and revenge, exposing the tension that can exist between what is legal and what is right. The play can potentially appear antisemitic but our stripped-back rehearsed reading will allow audiences to form a judgement for themselves based only on the text. Theatre should provoke and we hope the performance sparks useful reflection and conversations about thorny topics that still have relevance today.
Wild Thyme is a Devon-based theatre company with a focus on classical theatre. The company was established by Charlie Coldfield and Micha Colombo in 2024. After successful performances of Measure for Measure (2024) and Titus Andronicus (2025), The Merchant of Venice is Charlie and Micha’s third collaboration with Lightbear Lane.
Read the interview here!
