Presented by Watford Palace Theatre in association with Home. Supported by Trafalgar Theatre Productions, Eilene Davidson Productions and developed with support from the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Following a sell-out run in March 2023 The Merchant of Venice (1936) returns to Manchester in November 2023, with Tracy-Ann Oberman as Shylock.
Ambition, power and political unrest explode onto the stage in The Merchant of Venice 1936, direct from the RSC. Starring Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders, Doctor Who) as Shylock, Shakespeare’s classic is transported to 1930s Britain in this “striking and impactful” (Guardian) new production that “makes theatre history” (The Telegraph), from acclaimed director Brigid Larmour.
Tensions in London’s East End are rising and Shylock, a resilient single mother and hard-working businesswoman, is desperate to protect her daughter’s future. When the charismatic merchant Antonio comes to her for a loan, a high-stakes deal is struck.
Will Shylock take revenge, and who will pay the ultimate price?
We have a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the action and be on the front line at the Battle of Cable Street! Our special on-stage seating comprises 3 seats per table and offers a brand-new perspective on The Merchant of Venice.
Don’t miss this unforgettable, electrifying new production of The Merchant of Venice, a “fascinating and timely” (Daily Mail) reminder of a key moment in British history.
You can also explore Cable Street’s historical archives, enter The Ritz to learn more about the play, and visit Portia’s House to hear from our production team.
Discuss the scenarios of the River Challenge and place your vote, or test your knowledge with The Old Bailey’s Trials. Then visit our Guest Book to interact with other users, and to share your thoughts and experiences. London | Merchant 1936
Please note the role of Shylock will be played by Jessica Dennis on Tue 28 November.
is an English television, theatre and radio actress and writer. Recent TV credits include BBC One anti-fascist thriller Ridley Road, Russell T Davies’ award-winning Channel 4 series, It’s A Sin, universally popular Doctor Who, hysterical Toast of London, Ricky Gervais’ Netflix hit After Life, the critically acclaimed Friday Night Dinner, and Sky One’s brilliant Code 404 opposite Stephen Graham and Daniel Mays and opposite Sanjeev Bhaskar and David Walliams in Sandylands. Memorable for her award nominated performance of Chrissie Watts in Eastenders and as Yvonne Hartman in Dr Who, Tracy Ann is no stranger to our screens and is a hugely popular British actress. Having trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, Oberman spent four years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, before joining the National Theatre. Her extensive theatrical background includes appearing with Kenneth Branagh in David Mamet's Edmond, a run in the West End revival of Boeing-Boeing and the National Theatre’s production of Earthquakes in London. Prior to this, she was seen performing to sell out audiences in the West End opposite Amanda Holden in Stepping Out and as the female lead in Fiddler On The Roof at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Oberman later returned to Chichester Festival Theatre to play in Noel Coward’s Present Laughter. She has also been seen at the Menier Chocolate Factory in Hugh Whitemore’s Pack of Lies, at the Harold Pinter Theatre in Party Time and Celebration as part of the sell-out Jamie Lloyd Pinter at the Pinter season of one- act plays on the tenth anniversary of the Nobel Prize winner’s death, and as the lead in new play Mother of Him at The Park Theatre. For this role she was nominated for Best Actress at The Offies. She played Camilla Parker Bowles opposite Harry Enfield’s Prince Charles at The Prince of Wales Theatre in The Windsors: the Endgame. She will be starring alongside Felicity Kendal in Noises Off at the Phoenix Theatre in the New Year, before playing Shylock in the highly-anticipated Watford Palace Theatre adaptation of Merchant of Venice, a radical new production set in the East End at the time of the Battle of Cable Street. Oberman has performed in more than 600 radio plays. Tracy is also a column contributor for The Guardian and was a regular contributor to the Jewish Chronicle and Red Magazine. As a playwright she has written a number of well received Radio 4 plays, including Bette and Joan, Baby Jane and most recently That Dinner of 67 starring Kenneth Branagh which was nominated for best Single Drama at BBC Audio Awards. Oberman co-created Jews. In Their Own Words for the Royal Court Theatre with Vicky Featherstone and Jonathan Freedland.
Theatre includes: Henry V (GSC); A Christmas Carol (RSC); Alls Well Ends Well, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Robin Hood (GSC); Dorian Gray (Richmond & Tour); Troilus & Cressida, Salome, The Winters Tale, The Taming of the Shrew (RSC); King Lear (ATG); First Episode (Jermyn Street); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (MGC); The Sydicate, Dr Faustus (Chichester Festival Theatre); Too Much Pressure (Belgrade Theatre, Coventry)
Television includes: Coloseum (October Films) Clan of the Cavebear (Fox); Penny Dreadful Season 1 (Showtime); Margot and Mez and Count Arthur Strong’s Entertainment Game (Talkback Thames).
Film includes: Repeat, The Vintage, Delight, and Neville Rumble
Gavin was a recipient of the Olivier Bursary scheme, previously nominated for an Ian Charleson Award and won Best Actor National Student Drama Festival. He was a member of NYT.
Nancy trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Theatre credits include: Maria in Dare You Say Please (King’s Head Theatre), Carol in North of Providence, Lucy/Tiffany/Rebecca in The Laramie Project and Freya in Earthquakes of London (Bristol Old Vic Theatre School).
Television credits include: Audrey in Masters of the Air (Apple TV), Holly Berry in Anatomy of a Scandal (Netflix) and Lily in Casualty (BBC).
Film credits include: Amber in Midnight Ride (Sonderby Films).
Hannah trained at Drama Centre London.
Her extensive theatre credits include Darkest Part of the Night (Kiln Theatre), All’s Well That Ends Well, Cancelling Socrates (Jermyn Street Theatre), Anthony and Cleopatra (National Theatre), Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus (RSC/Barbican) and Arms and the Man (Watford Palace Theatre).
Her TV credits include Father Brown and Call the Midwife.
Hannah is the recipient of the following awards:
Ian Charleson Award Second Prize 2018 for Octavia in Antony and Cleopatra at the National Theatre
Ian Charleson Award Commendation 2017 for Lavinia in Titus Andronicus at the RSC
Hannah recently wrote and starred in short film CERES alongside Juliet Stevenson.
Raymond trained at the Bristol Old Vic and has worked extensively in television, theatre and film.
His numerous television credits include regulars in Mr Selfridge and Hotel Babylon. Other recent television credits include, The Rook, Gentleman Jack, and Sister Boniface.
His film credits include The Best Man, Eisenstein, The English Patient, and Red Joan.
On stage, Raymond has performed at the RSC, National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Theatre Royal Bath and Chichester Festival Theatre, amongst many others.
Training: East 15 Acting School
Theatre includes: Robin Hood (Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds), Boeing Boeing (London Classic Theatre), Jack and the Beanstalk (Stephen Joseph Theatre), Twelfth Night, Romeo + Juliet (The Orange Tree Theatre), The Habit of Art (Original Theatre), Henry V + The Tempest (Shakespeare's Rose Theatre, York), Offside (Futures Theatre), Macbeth, Frankenstein, A Christmas Carol (Box Clever), Property of Polka, The Wind in the Willows (Polka Theatre), Meet Me In The Ruins (Belgrade Theatre), Redder than Roses, The Woman on the Bridge (Buxton Festival), Million Dollar Quartet (Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, Mumbai), The Deranged Marriage (Rifco Arts).
Audio Drama: Jessica is a voice over artist, singer and a regular performer for The Wireless Theatre Company for whom she has appeared in many audio dramas, including productions for BBC Radio 4 and Audible. Jessica can currently be heard voicing the central character, Ruby in Night of the Living Dread (BAFTA nominated for Best British Short Animation 2022)
Gráinne trained at Oxford School of Drama and was a member of the National Youth Theatre.
Theatre credits include: Jenny/Woman in The Dance of Death (UK Tour), Billie in Baby What Blessings (VAULT Festival, Park Theatre),
Credits whilst training include: Nina in The Seagull, Duchess in The Duchess of Malfi, Rosie in Flatspin, Jen in 39 and Counting.
Xavier Starr has just graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Productions since graduating include ‘The Mechanicals Presents… Macbeth or Julius Caesar’ (Play Nicely Theatre), an open air theatre tour of the south of England, and ‘Parablesque’ (Patrick Productions), a short film depicting a series of Kafka short stories.
Priyank trained at Royal Central School of Speech & Drama and Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. His theatre credits include Romeo & Juliet (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and The Open (The Space), Kettled, Rominic, Nothing as it Seems, (all at Soho Theatre).
Alex trained at Drama Studio London and East 15 Acting School.
Theatre credits include: Horatio in Hamlet (Southwark Playhouse), Macbeth in Macbeth (Young Shakespeare Company), Zachir in A Level Playing Field (Riverside Studios), Kent in Edward II (Greenwich Theatre).
TV/Radio credits include: Toby in Casualty (BBC Studios), Kalman in Yentl the Yeshiva Boy (BBC Radio 4), Jake in Cucumber (Channel 4).
This is an adaptation of the original text, which contains themes of racism, including anti-Semitism.
This production will contain the use of:
Menthol cigarettes
0% nicotine vape
Haze
Ticket information
Tickets from £10 – £32
Groups of 8 – 39 get 10% off each full price ticket
Groups of 40+ get 15% off each full price ticket.
Tickets for school groups are £11 each. A teacher gets a free place with every 10 student tickets. This offer is available on weekdays only and must be booked in advance.
Please email groups@homemcr.org or call Box Office on 0161 200 1500 (12:00-20:00 daily).
On-stage seating:
We have a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the action and be on the front line at the Battle of Cable Street! Our special on-stage seating comprises 3 seats per table and offers a brand-new perspective on The Merchant of Venice!
