Synopsis

Antonio, the merchant, gets a loan from Shylock to help his dear friend Bassanio win Portia's heart. But Shylock, a moneylender long-spurned by Antonio, refuses interest. Instead, he proposes a brutal price — if the loan is not repaid — Antonio must settle the debt with a pound of his own flesh.

Shakespeare's tale of power, privilege, and prejudice, set in Sydney. Today.

Join us August 2026 to discover ‘what treason is mingled with love’

Production vision

August 2026: Such Stuff Productions presents William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice as a provocative contemporary commentary—one that sparks empathy across divides and probes our shared coexistence—much as Shakespeare may have intended.

Rather than revisiting age‑old wars of religion and ideology, our production is set in present‑day Sydney. Through Shakespeare’s characters, we hold up a mirror to the collective folly of our tribalism. When we marginalise others, do we diminish ourselves in the process?

In this staging, there are no winners, no losers, and no moral high ground on which to settle the drama. And while the play’s prejudices remain painfully relevant, so too do its loves and its lovers. So Shakespeare closes his story with his two great antidotes to human folly—wit and wisdom—reigniting our sense of what it means to be 'live and living'.

A tale of power, privilege, and prejudice, set on the Lower North Shore

Production intention from the director

Following last December’s Bondi tragedy, many Australians felt shock and sorrow alongside our Jewish communities. As we return to Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, we acknowledge that this provocative play includes characters who express prejudice, while recognising that Shakespeare himself did not share their views.

The Merchant of Venice is undeniably challenging. Yet our version — even as its dramatic highs and lows unfold — is rooted in a genuine commitment to finding common ground. The ground we all share when we move beyond individual and collective prejudice and connect with the full humanity we hold in common.

Our company carries a weighty responsibility — staying true to our founding intention for this production — to honour Shakespeare’s breadth of humanity and to share our interpretation of his vision fearlessly with our audiences.

Paul C. Kininmonth, July 2026

…“brilliant”…“unforgettable”…”spellbinding!”

Such Stuff's 2025 The Tempest audience

“Stand-out performances with a very talented cast!
Privileged to share in this incredible experience…
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”

"Awesome!" "Terrific" "Excellent"

Such Stuff's 2025 King Lear audience

Content warning

The views of this play and its characters are not the personal beliefs of our company. We stand in support of Sydney's Jewish community and with communities of all faiths. This production contains staged depictions and references to prejudice and violence, included for dramatic and thematic purposes.

#MOVsuchsuff

Note: chairs provided; however, no set seating.

Contact the host of THE MERCHANT OF VENICE @The Joshua Tree | Petersham Presbyterian Church

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