Shakespeare in the dark

Portland Actors Ensemble will begin the second leg of this summer’s Twilight Tragedie production by bringing The Merchant of Venice to Portland’s Washington Park.

The Merchant of Venice is the story of Antonio, a merchant who borrows from the Jewish moneylender Shylock; he agrees to lend the funds under the condition that if Antonio fails to settle his debt, he must repay with a pound of his flesh. Not taking the proposition seriously, Antonio accepts the terms. When Antonio finds himself unable to pay, Shylock demands his pound of flesh. The combination of dramatic, comedic and romantic elements have made the play one of the most talked about and debated of all Shakespeare’s works.

Many of the play’s themes lie in a gray area where it is difficult to determine who is good and who is bad, or to differentiate victory and tragedy. Critics and scholars have long debated the play’s themes of economic, racial and religious disparity, as well as the class and power struggles within the world of the story.

Actor James Peck, who plays Shylock, sees the play as a melodrama about power struggles and exchanges. Though some consider Shakespeare’s portrayal of the moneylender villainous, “Shylock is one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies,” Peck said.

Many of the questions posed in the play will never fully be answered, but, in the end, Peck hopes audiences will walk away questioning how they are meant to feel, and he believes that these questions will lead to discourse on important issues.

The ensemble has been delighting local audiences with its Shakespeare in the Park productions for more than 40 years, staging performances and touring local parks and outdoor spaces each summer. Because the plays are held in the afternoon, the focus has typically been on presenting family-friendly Shakespeare plays.

In the past, the group has been known for presenting mostly comedies and romances, avoiding the more serious of Shakespeare’s plays. This changed in 2005, when the Twilight Tragedie was created, which allowed the group to focus on more dramatic works.

The Twilight productions are held in the evening, with shows starting during daylight and ending after dark. This adds a unique natural lighting effect to the presentations. The transition from daylight to darkness falls in line with the building of the dramatic tension, allowing the audience to get really transported into the world of the play.

“The evening performances have opened up a whole new part of the canon for us,” said Michael Godsey, artistic director for the PAE.

Unlike the touring shows, the Twilight productions are based in single locations, allowing the group to choose locations that tie in to the play. The Tempest was presented at the Lovejoy Fountain Park, where actors performed inside the fountain. Last year, Hamlet was performed in a local cemetery. The Merchant of Venice began in Terry Schrunk Plaza, amid the banking and financial center of Portland, and has now moved to Washington Park.

The Merchant of Venice continues July 5 and is free to the public.