The Merchant of Venice presented by Theatre Breaking Through Barriers

Interpretation is the sincerest form of flattery. Any William Shakespeare work can attest to that. From the earliest performance to the most current production, Shakespeare’s plays have been the outlines of beautiful caricatures that avid crayon-holders have colored. Theatre Breaking Through Barrier’s production of Merchant of Venice takes their 64-pack and colors outside the lines. The seven actors, who each play three or more roles, complement each other on the stage. Their multiple roles are never at the peril of being interchangeable as each interaction solidifies the flexibility of the actors to maintain not only the roles they are currently playing, but their fellow actors’ as well. Merchant of Venice is a tale of trickery, wit and justice – still with the anti-Semitic overtones that it is known for, but does not manifest in this production.

Pamela Sabaugh plays Portia, Launcelot Gobbo and Sal; she oscillates between the lovely Portia, whose suitors must choose the correct box to win her hand in marriage, and the bumbling Launcelot Gobbo, the son of an old sailor, with impressively smooth transitions. Melanie Boland, who plays Antonio, Tubal and Sal, goes about her roles with a tender masculinity that arrests you with her ability to play all-male characters but reminds you that she is still a woman underneath it all. This subliminal messaging does not take away from her performances, however. Instead, it lets you marvel at her versatility. But the most versatile of the group is the comical Nicholas Viselli, who takes on the roles of Morocco, Old Gobbo, Arragon, Stephano, and the iconic Shylock. He alters his voice and modifies his gestures as he transforms himself into the five very different characters – a feat that intrigues and demonstrates his acting prowess.Sixteen other roles are shared between four other actors, the amiable Gregg Mozgala, the comical David Harrell, the charming Stephen Drabicki and the endearing Mary Theresa Archbold.

As far as this interpretation goes, Merchant of Venice is modernized, easily understood and thoroughly entertaining. The soliloquies never drag, the monologues are thoughtful and the story is somewhat relatable to modern society, from its dealings with justice to the tribulations of a prejudiced society, as ironic as that may be.