Merchant of Venice, The

Synopsis
Full-length radio adaptation of the play starring Gerald Lawrence as Shylock and Cathleen Nesbitt as Portia. Music (three Entractes from the Purcell Suite in C) is provided by the Wireless Quartet under the direction of Stanton Jefferies. Norman Notley sings Eric Coates’s ‘Tell me where is Fancy Bred’. Cecil A. Lewis speaks the prologue.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Radio
Transmission details
15 Jun 1923 at 20:00 (Channel: BBC)
Duration
105 mins
Availability
No copy extant

Credits

Writer
William Shakespeare
Music
Eric Coates; Henry Purcell
Adaptor for Radio
Cathleen Nesbitt
Cast
Gerald LawrenceShylock
Ben WebsterAntonio
George RelphBassanio
Cathleen NesbittPortia
George HayesGratiano
Arthur R. BurrowsDuke of Venice
Cecil A. LewisNarrator
George HoweSalarino (Salerio)
George HoweOld Gobbo
Lawrence HanrayLauncelot Gobbo
Lesley WinterNerissa
Norman NotleySinger
Phyllis ThomasJessica
Rex F. PalmerSalanio (Solanio)
Robert HarrisLorenzo
Stafford HilliardBalthazar
Stafford HilliardTubal

Additional Details

Production type
Television and Radio Drama
Plays
Merchant of Venice, The
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes
Transmitted from London Station ‘2LO’
General
In his book on ‘Broadcasting from Within’, Lewis describes how they created the sound of Shylock’s dropping scales in the trial scene by "letting a heavy iron-chain with one-inch links fall into a paint-pot" (London: George Newness, 1924, p.63).
Reviews
Source: BBC Programme as Broadcast; BBC Programme Records

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

How to cite this record

Shakespeare, "Merchant of Venice, The". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/av66579 (Accessed 14 Nov 2024)