Shakespeare in Performance: Stage Production

Portia, My Love (2008, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival)

Description

"Portia, My Love is a re-imagining of the source story Shakespeare used in creating The Merchant of Venice. It tells the story of Bassanio and his obsession with a woman he knows – initially – only through an image that he glimpses in a strange machine. It is an obsession that threatens to destroy not only himself but his family and even the object of his desire: Portia. I [Andrew Templeton] was inspired to write the piece after reading the original Italian source story featuring Portia of Belmont and her challenge to male suitors. Instead of asking potential suitors to choose a box containing her image (as in the Shakespeare version), the original Portia set a challenge that any suitor who manages to sleep with her would rule both her and her island; should they fail they forfeit all their worldly possessions. This much more direct challenge struck me as fertile ground for a new version of the story, one containing contemporary resonances about the intersections of sex, commerce, obsession and even celebrity culture."

St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival — Added 2011-07-22

Cast Overview

Production Team and Crew Overview

Company Overview

Production information courtesy of: St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival [website]