Following a triumphant season at the Criterion Theatre and a sold-out UK tour, Tracy-Ann Oberman is back in the West End to reprise her starring role in The Merchant of Venice 1936.
Who’s in the cast?
Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders, Doctor Who, Friday Night Dinner) is joined by acclaimed actor Joseph Millson (The Last Kingdom, The Forsyte Saga, RSC Associate Artist) in the critically acclaimed production of The Merchant of Venice 1936, for its strictly limited West End season at the Trafalgar Theatre (28 December – 25 January) and subsequent UK tour in 2025.
This smash hit production also welcomes Georgie Fellows as Portia, Evie Hargreaves as Mary / Nerissa, Mikhail Sen as Lorenzo / Maharajah and Elly Roberts as Stefania / Blackshirt. Reprising their roles are Gavin Fowler as Bassanio, Grainne Dromgoole as Jessica, Xavier Starr as Gratiano, and Alex Zur as Yuval / The Duke / Blackshirt.
Creative team
Director – Brigid Larmour
Associate Director – Tracy-Ann Oberman
Costume and Set Design – Liz Cooke
Lighting Design – Rory Beaton
Sound Design – Sarah Weltman
Composer – Erran Baron Cohen
Movement Directors – Annabel Arden and Leah Hausman
What’s the show about?
Ambition, power and political unrest explode onto the stage in this “striking and impactful” (The Guardian) production that “makes theatre history” (Daily Telegraph). This “fascinating and timely” (Daily Mail) reimagining sees Shakespeare’s classic transported to 1930s East London against the backdrop of the Battle of Cable Street. It is adapted by Brigid Larmour and Tracy-Ann Oberman.
With the city on the brink of political unrest, fascism sweeping across Europe and Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists threatening a paramilitary march through the Jewish East End, strong-willed single mother Shylock runs a pawnbroking business from her house in Cable Street where Mosley will march. When charismatic, antisemitic aristocrat Antonio comes to her for a loan, a high-stakes deal is struck. Will Shylock take her revenge, and who will pay the ultimate price?
Assisted performances
Audio Described Performance – Saturday 11 Jan 2025 14:30
Signed Performance – Saturday 18 Jan 2025 19:30
Captioned Performance – Wednesday 22 Jan 2025 14:30
Tracy-Ann Oberman said: “I am so delighted that, by popular demand, MOV1936 is coming back into the West End so soon after we finished. Demand has been so high that I feel bringing it back, and this time to the beautiful Trafalgar Theatre and then on a national tour, is essential. The message of my female Shylock – based on my Great Grandma, a widow in the East End standing up to Oswald Mosley and the British Union of Fascists, with all her neighbours and others horrified by the message of BUF – feels more pertinent than ever. The play is about unity, standing together against hatred and the play’s impact has been beyond my wildest hopes and ambitions for it.”
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 1936
London: Trafalgar Theatre 28 December – 25 January
Liverpool: Playhouse Theatre 4 – 8 February
Bath: Theatre Royal 11 – 15 February
Southend: Palace Theatre 18 – 22 February
Salford: Lowry 25 February – 1 March
Fareham Live 4 – 8 March
Leeds: Playhouse Theatre 11 – 15 March
Cardiff: New Theatre 18 – 22 March
Birmingham: Repertory Theatre 1 – 5 April
