Speed Merchant (of Venice)

Clever staging, crisp pace, excellent performances. See it!... full review

The Action! Theatre Company and Tiger Reel bring us an engaging production with masterful performances! Don't miss this one!... full review

Very enjoyable, I highly recommend it. ... full review

Speed Merchant of Venice takes a timeless Shakespeare tale, puts it through an inventive, intelligent and modern day filter and spits it back out into an very entertaining 90 minutes full of rich performances, a fantastic soundtrack, and an unforgettable theatre experience! LOVED! ... full review

As a fan of the Bard, I have to say I've seen far more mediocre Shakespeare productions than good ones. But this one was enjoyable on every front. Excellent performances, great direction. Edited down to a very watchable 90 minutes. Modernization was just right, entertaining without pandering. ... full review

With essentially no set, sleek, modern dress, and judicious cuts, all pretense and sentimentality, is stripped away and we are left with a striking, poignant, Merchant, that is lightning fast but never feels rushed. Shylock gets all the good lines, but sad, middle aged, Antonio, in love with his young friend Bassanio seems an equal partner in the pathos. Jack Young makes a powerful shylock, and with Nikki Jenkins, stands out amongst an excellent cast. Tiger Reel’s direction is assured, crisp, and funny, bringing a modern sensibility to this Merchant. Go see it!! ... full review

Tiger Reel always comes up with a fascinating way to retell an old story and this production is one of his best. He cuts the play down to ninety minutes by finding the right essentials to tell the story. All of the actors enter fully into the spirit of his adaption and are individually and collectively first-rate, especially Jon Weinberg's Antonio who in his frustrated love for Bassanio becomes as wrenching as Shylock's fury is frightening. The sound and spare scenic elements complement the production handsomely. Highly recommended!... full review

WOW! I had a blast. Tiger Reel beautifully directed this production. It was crisp, funny and inventive. Jack Young was amazing in his role as Shylock and Vanessa Vaughn was absolutely outstanding as Portia. The cast continued to suprise me. Go see this show. You will not be disappointed. ... full review

This is an excellent cast in a very entertaining production. I enjoyed it even more the second time. I really appreciated Jack Young's depth as Shylock, and I loved Vanessa Vaughn & Samantha Klein's playfulness and intelligence as Portia & Nerissa, and David Hardie's bravado as Bassanio. The entire ensemble is fantastic. Congratulations to Tiger and everyone involved.... full review

An inspired and very entertaining version of Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice." A terrific cast-- Jon Weinberg, Jack Young and Vanessa Vaughn are exceptional!... full review