HONG KONG SHAX THEATRE GROUP

2019
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE - CANTONESE 

Venue: Chong Yuet Ming Cultural Centre Studio 303

Dates: Jan 31st - Feb 1st, 2019

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Having taken a break from the comedic genre with Macbeth, HKSTG returns to the world of Shakespearean antics, exploring a play that is as famous for inducing mirth as it is for constructing dramatic confrontations of vengeance and hatred.
In his attempt to woo the beautiful Portia, heiress of Belmont, Bassanio borrows from moneylender Shylock, while naming his friend Antonio, a wealthy merchant who is at odds with the lender, as the loan's guarantor. A contract is signed, with an agreed-upon repayment date. However, the conditions stipulate that should Antonio fail to return the loan, Shylock would be entitled to a pound of his flesh. As Bassanio sets off to Belmont to win Portia's heart, Antonio awaits news of his ships and merchandise at sea. The stakes are high for both friends, as they must both succeed to avoid a loss neither can afford.
HKSTG has chosen to keep The Merchant of Venice in its original Elizabethan setting, but for the first time, sees itself undertaking the enormously difficult task of translating the original script into Cantonese. But, it's well worth the pains for a night of laughs and gasps!