JOSEPH MILLSON JOINS TRACY-ANN OBERMAN
IN THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 1936
“The most important Shakespeare production of the year”
Daily Telegraph
DIRECTED BY BRIGID LARMOUR
LONDON’S TRAFALGAR THEATRE
28 DECEMBER – 25 JANUARY
UK TOUR 4 FEBRUARY – 5 APRIL
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM MERCHANTOFVENICE1936.CO.UK
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.
Back by popular demand following a sold-out run at the Criterion Theatre earlier this year, Shakespeare’s enduring classic is transported to 1930s East London against a backdrop of political unrest and the Battle of Cable Street.
Millson, whose credits include Netflix’s The Last Kingdom, Marvel’s Moon Knight, and his critically acclaimed performance as Soames in The Forsyte Saga, plays Antonio alongside Tracy-Ann’s Shylock. 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.
Tracy-Ann Oberman said: “Having Joe join the cast of MOV36 as the merchant Antonio is the dream. He’s such a wonderful actor with a great Shakespearean pedigree and I’ve always admired his work. He’s not only a great friend but also an actor who I love being on stage with and I cannot wait to see what happens when my Shylock meets his Antonio in the East End of London, 1936.”
After the West End season, this groundbreaking production will embark on a second UK tour for eight weeks visiting: Liverpool, Bath, Leeds, Salford, Fareham, Cardiff, Southend and culminating in Birmingham on 5 April 2025 – allowing audiences all over the UK the opportunity to experience this “deeply relevant” (Daily Telegraph) play.
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) production 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?
★★★★★
“An astonishing, full-blooded performance.
For anyone who wonders how to produce Shakespeare in the 21st Century, this really is it”
METRO
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 1936
London: Trafalgar Theatre 28 December – 25 January
Liverpool: Playhouse Theatre 4 – 8 February
Bath: Theatre Royal 10 – 15 February
Leeds: Playhouse Theatre 18 – 22 February
Salford: Lowry 25 February – 1 March
Fareham Live 4 – 8 March
Cardiff: New Theatre 18 – 22 March
Southend: Palace Theatre 24 – 29 March
Birmingham: Repertory Theatre 1 – 5 April
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
LISTINGS INFORMATION
West End
28 December 2024 – 25 January 2025
Trafalgar Theatre, 14 Whitehall, London SW1A 2DY
2024
28 December at 4pm
29 December at 4pm
30 December at 7:30pm
1 January at 7:30pm
2025
Evening performances: 7:30pm Tuesday – Saturday
Matinee performances: 2:30pm Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday
UK Tour
4 February – 5 April 2025
Evening performances: 7:30pm
Fareham, Cardiff, Southend: Monday – Saturday
All other venues: Tuesday – Saturday
Matinee performances: 2:30pm Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday
Website: Merchantofvenice1936.co.uk
X / Twitter: @MOV1936
Facebook and Instagram: @merchantofvenice1936