A WARNING has been slapped on one of Shakespeare’s best known works, advising theatre-goers it contains scenes of 'anti-Semitism and bullying’.

 

Which play?

The Merchant of Venice, written in 1605, tells the tale of Bassanio, a poor nobleman in Venice, who needs funds to woo beautiful heiress Portia. The Merchant of Venice, Antonio, takes a loan from the Jewish Shylock to help his friend to court Portia. But Antonio cannot repay the money and Shylock demands a pound of his flesh. Portia, now the wife of Bassanio, dresses as a lawyer and saves Antonio.

 

And where is it being performed?

In the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in Shakespeare’s Globe theatre on the banks of the River Thames in London. A theatre was built close to the site of the current Globe in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company. The modern take opened in 1997 with the late US actor a leading figure in its revival.

 

So what’s the warning exactly?

The play, running until April 9, is described as "an unflinching new production", told by candlelight, focusing on "a world where money turns the wheels, men call the shots and your religion or race can open or close doors", asking: "If Jewish Shylock plays by the rules, will he win?” The warning attached states: “This production contains racism, including antisemitism, anti-black racism and colourism. It also includes strong language, scenes of a sexual nature, flash photography and loud noises.”

 

Anything else?

The theatre’s twitter page adds that “The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare’s most problematic plays with its themes of antisemitism” and links to a blog on its official site, titled: “England and the Jews, before Shakespeare”. The blog itself has a content warning that states: “This blog is about the history of racism against Jewish people and contains material and images that may cause harm or distress”. It says “the archives of England are silent” on how English Jews felt at the time and adds we may need to “critically imagine” the answer to this.

 

It’s a long-standing issue now?

Shakespeare’s work has increasingly come under the scrutiny of modern eyes. Earlier this month, The Telegraph reported a Globe Theatre project exploring Shakespeare's work found Hamlet to be a "race play". English scholar, Dr Ian Smith, who focuses on Shakespeare and race, said Hamlet was "a character wrestling with ideas of blackness". 

 

The response?

One tweet responding to the Merchant’s warning asked, “Can we all just be treated as adults without woke warnings?” Another wrote: “His plays are performed year after year, after decade and century, because they are complex and there is so much to discover as long as you have the right teacher along the way and are willing to explore the stories fully.”