There are two rules to theatre: “The show must go on” and “Shit happens.” Playing Shylock, written by Mark Leiren-Young and directed by Martin Kinch, exemplifies these rules with its own unique twists and turns. Starring legend of stage and screen Saul Rubinek, Playing Shylock is an intensely personal look at Rubinek’s life and his relationship to the Bard’s most well-known Jewish character.

Playing Shylock is set at Canadian Stage’s Berkeley theatre, however the show they’re presenting is Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. The five minute call before the show begins is actually set as the 5 minute intermission call, as if we’re coming in on Merchant halfway through. However, only Saul Rubinek, dressed as Shylock, emerges from backstage to tell us that the show has been cancelled; a press release was leaked a day early and now the cast is in a tizzy. What follows is a beautiful blend of fact and fiction, story and recitation, about Rubinek’s own life, his association with Canadian Stage and Toronto Free Theatre, and most importantly Shylock himself. 

Leiren-Young’s script delves into Shakespeare’s world in a way which made my scholar heart beyond happy; I had forgotten what a joy it is for me to explore the texts in such a deep and meaningful manner. Rubinek brings a whole other view to the role of Shylock, and encourages the audience to think about not only the play within it’s historical context, but what’s been done with it since. As I sat there, I realized I’ve never seen a Jewish actor play Shylock, not once. And Playing Shylock asks the profound question of why not? Rubinek’s speeches are so powerful and persuasive, he nearly had me believing in Oxfordian Theory! (If you want a very deep rabbit hole to travel down, start getting into Shakespearean Authorship stuff; it’s very divisive and you’ve never seen scholars get this level of intense, I swear).

Within the frame narrative of this cancelled play, Rubinek discusses some of the history of Canadian Stage and the Berkeley Street Theatre itself. These incredible stories about the early days at Berkeley, Toronto Free Theatre (named as such because they literally didn’t charge for tickets), and his days at the Stratford Festival give us background about our Toronto theatre community as well as Rubinek himself. What’s most poignant, of course, are the issues of cancel culture, anti-semitism, and fear which are discussed through the frame narrative and The Merchant of Venice. There are references to the current climate and the extra precautions being taken by the Jewish community; a clear example of how that fear which exists for Shakespeare’s characters is still present today. 

Shawn Kerwin’s set design is breathtaking; I now desperately want to see a production of The Merchant of Venice on this exact set. A massive outline of a cross looms heavy over the stage, with a small piece of it broken, like the destroyed wall behind it. The crumbling wall has the word JEW in huge capital letters on either side of the main backdrop, which consists of another wall with a large crack in it. This fractured backdrop is perfectly emblematic of the fractures in society which we see in Merchant and which Rubinek discusses in this production.

Saul Rubinek’s performance is likewise astounding; his vulnerability, wisdom, and sense of humour are put through the paces with this play, and he exceeds all expectations. There’s such an ease to the way he delivers this play, and yet there’s also such immense passion which comes through in his performance. The final moments of the play are so powerful, I didn’t even feel like I was breathing; I was so rapt by his performance, that I forgot anything else existed in that moment. This is not only the power of this performer, but also the power of seeing a work done as it should be, to hear words spoken in the language they’re meant to be spoken in. I was truly awe-struck.

Playing Shylock tackles some of the most important issues of our day while simultaneously deconstructing a four hundred year old play. This is certainly a production which will leave you thinking about it long after you’ve left; I know this will stick with me for a long time. 

Playing Shylock runs until November 24th at the Berkeley Street Theatre. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.canadianstage.com/shows-events/season/playing-shylock

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Cover Photo: Saul Rubinek. Photo by Dahlia Katz

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