Speed Merchant (of Venice)

Hugely entertaining and briskly paced production. Jack Young's Shylock is both shocking and empathetic. Great cast and a great interpretation.... full review

Don't let the "Speed" part fool you. "Speed Merchant" certainly moves quickly and seamlessly, but it never feels rushed and it remains completely intelligible, fully realized and entirely relevant. The fact that this is one of Shakespeare's comedies is taken completely to heart in this production, which provides a nice balance to the very serious matters at hand. The performances were consistently good and the direction clean and focused. Go see it!... full review

This is a cast of strong actors! I mean, the whole point of seeing a play we're all familiar with is to see it executed in a fresh, smart way, is it not? Really enjoyed this take on it - great editing work to bring the show to it's juiciest 90 mins... This production's Shylock and Antonio are standout performers, too! ... full review

Terrific work from all involved. Particularly loved Jack Young as Shylock. Ted Heyck turns the smallest moments into real and captivating theater.... full review

Slick and engaging, I thought this Merchant was incredibly creative and inventive - told the story well with some excellent performances. ... full review

Speed Merchant (of Venice) is a thoughtfully directed, well-cast and passionately performed production. Accomplished Shakespearean director/adaptor Tiger Reel nails it again this time with a focused, modernized production that both stays true to the source material while finessing Merchant's difficult anti-semitic elements to be more palatable and less black and white. Don't miss it!... full review

A well directed, well-acted adaptation of Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice". Unfortunately the source material is deeply problematic - the more believable the portrayal of Shylock, the less believable and more troubling the narrative. If you haven't seen Merchant of Venice, this might be your best introduction.... full review

Tiger Reel's concept and editing was superb. The show had an energetic pace and cohesiveness that made the 90 minutes seem like 20. The ensemble was wonderful. I especially loved Samantha Klein (Nersissa) and Vanessa Vaughn (Portia) and their "show." I don't want to give away too much, but those scenes were so fun. A way I have never, nor would ever think to place a Shakespearean scene, and the two ladies were a joy to watch. Another highlight was Nikki Jenkin's Arragon. Hilarious. ... full review

A great distillation of one of Shakespeare's earlier and trickier plays...it preserves much of the 'iconic' material as well as its' difficulties. Director Tiger Reel does a great job keeping the action flowing from scene to scene, telling the story quickly and efficiently. Jack Young is a terrific Shylock, and he delivers beautifully in not only the courtroom scene, but as a tender father in his scenes with Jessica (Abbie Cobb). All in all, a bold and vitalizing addition to the amazing repertoire of the "Action Theatre Company" and the Hollywood Fringe Festival!... full review