Rome's Globe Theatre Season Comes to an End with 'Il Mercante di Venezia'

By Adam Hembree

ROME, Sept. 22—The Silvano Toti Globe Theatre's 2008 season finished with Sunday’s performance of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. Loredana Scaramella, who directed the production, also collaborated on the Italian translation and starred as Porzia, the female lead.

The theatre, an impressive replica of the original Globe Theatre built in London in 1599, is located in the Museum Park of the Villa Borghese. It is an open-air venue made entirely of wood. Three circular levels seat 1,250 people; over 400 fit in a pit for standing-room tickets.

The Merchant of Venice, a comedy, features the struggles of the generous Antonio (Orlando Cinque) with the merciless moneylender Shylock (Carlo Ragone). While fraught with physical humor and amusing scenes, the play creates some truly dramatic moments that often catch the viewer unaware.

Ragone’s Shylock delivers a moving soliloquy that captures the prevalent questions of anti-Semitism. His bitter character suddenly withers into the play’s most sympathetic advocate for justice. As he huddles on the floor, stroking the yellow armband that signifies his faith and whispering, “Mi contento,” it is easy to forget this is a comedy.

The illusion only lasts so long as zany costumes and live music from the Trio William Kemp keep things moving. The musicians feature both as accompaniment from the stage balcony and as performers during intermission.

Several of the actors also provide impressive vocals for the songs. Their voices and the humorous inclusion of the musicians as servants and extras provide a new dimension of talent to the production.