C Company

The Bridewell’s Lunchbox Theatre plays are a streamlined idea – put on a 45 minute play at about 1pm weekdays and bring a sandwich so workers can still cram a little culture into their lunch hour. Once you get over the idea of munching your midday BLT in front of a tragedy, it’s such a good idea you wonder why no one thought if it before. The current Lunchbox is Merchant of Venice, with a twists of being both set in the ’80s and having Shylock played as a woman (Vanessa Spiro). The ’80s music and clothing, down to the white slipon shoes and the elegantly pushed-back sleeves, breathes new life into the play. Stephen Rahman-Hughes is good as Bassanio, with a nice line in physical comedy, and ably supported by Antonio (Alex Trippier). Fliss Walton gives good Portia and crossdresses effectively for comic effect. Spiro however has the most memorable role, playing the outsider due to her religion, occupation and of course gender, but keeping her character just this side of sympathetic, playing the professional who just wants to be taken seriously in the financial world she works in. Behind the big-hair music and lighthearted crossdressing are a few suspenseful scenes. The audience physically cringes when a shirtless Antonio is threatened by Shylock’s scalpel, as the vengeful Jew rushes at him intending to get her pound of flesh. The play is good enough to have you forgetting your lunchtime BLT. Nina Romain – Nina Romain