Speed Merchant (of Venice)

Fast, fresh and fun! Highly recommended!... full review

Saw this again as part of the Best of Fringe, and brought my wife - we were both blown away by the performance. Every member of this ensemble cast is incredible. It was also wonderful to see our friend Tom Metcalf, the stage manager, on stage as Tubal/Lottery Assistant. Hats off to everyone for anyone incredible show! You are all diamonds!... full review

This smart, fast, clever version of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice explores love, racism, integrity, revenge, and justice. Director Tiger Reel has set the classic in modern times, illuminating how little society has changed over the past few hundred years. Both tragic and comic, we follow the stories of some of Shakespeare's most famous characters; and in 90 minutes, we are reminded of the brilliance of Shakespeare's language. The ensemble is solid, with a standout performance by Jack Young as Shylock. His work is both moving and exciting, a combination not easily achieved. Tiger Reel's adaptation honors the essence of the much longer text, and his particularly fine direction brings both playfulness and depth to the piece. His perf... full review

A well-thought out, carefully orchestrated Speed Merchant (of Venice), based on Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, is playing at Artworks Theatre as part of this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival. Directed by Action! Theatre Company artistic director, Tiger Reel, it is a provocative interpretation of the play – smart, contemporary, funny & challenging, and it even came in at exactly 90 minutes as the schedule said it would. Reel’s beautiful prologue artfully addresses the long standing question of whether Bassanio and Antonio are lovers in a symbolic dance of changing partners that also establishes the tension between Venice’s Jews and Christians. Just as Antonio is left odd man out during the Godfather-esque waltz, so too is Shylock, ... full review