The Merchant of Venice

The critically acclaimed production of The Merchant of Venice 1936 will be heading to the Lowry in 2025. 

The theatre production of Shakespeare’s enduring classic is back by popular demand following a sold-out run at the Criterion Theatre earlier this year. 

Audiences of the Lowry will be transported to 1930s East London against a backdrop of political unrest and the Battle of Cable Street.

As it will display 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. 

The story will follow the 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.

The show directed by Brigid Larmour will be at the Lowry from 25 February and will run in Salford until March 1 2025.

The production will be led by Tracy-Ann Oberman, best known for her roles in EastEnders, Doctor Who, Friday Night Dinner, playing the role of Shylock.

The cast of the Merchant of Venice 1936 - Lowry
The cast of the Merchant of Venice 1936 – Lowry

And will be joined on stage by acclaimed actor, Joseph Millson  who is well-known for performances in  Netflix’s The Last Kingdom, Marvel’s Moon Knight, and his critically acclaimed performance as Soames in The Forsyte Saga.

The highly credited actor will play the character of Antonio alongside Tracy-Ann’s Shylock. 

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.”

The visit to the Lowry is a part of the ground-breaking shows second UK tour, visiting eight different locations. 

The show will leave the West End, and will spend eight weeks visiting Liverpool, Bath, Leeds, Salford, Fareham, Cardiff, Southend and culminating in Birmingham on 5 April 2025. 

The Merchant of Venice 1936 will open at Lowry, Salford from 25 February – 1 March 2025. For more information and tickets can be found here.

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