The Merchant of Venice February 1, 2007

A mysteriously melancholy rich man, a dashing young lover in desperate need of cash, a moneylender with good reason to seek revenge and a witty young woman with a knack for disguise... these are the elements of Shakespeare's sparkling and troubling tragicomedy. Set in the magical city of Venice, where all nations meet and the clash of cultures can lead to startling violence, the story of Antonio, Shylock and Portia has been arousing controversies, social as well as literary, for four centuries with its astonishing mixture of elements: comedy both raucous and gentle, steely-eyed satire, intense compassion, tender love poetry and the perpetual struggle between mercy and justice.