THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
UK Tour 21 Sep - 3 Dec 2005

Tara Arts continues its distinctive East-West dialogue between the traditional and the contemporary with one of William Shakespeare's most powerful and controversial plays, 'The Merchant of Venice', promising a colour and dynamic version of this classic text.

Set in the thriving 16th Century port-city of Cochin, in South India - home to one of the oldest communities of Jews and Christians - 'The Merchant of Venice' is a gripping story of love, money and revenge in an unjust society.

Why does Antonio, a respected Christian merchant, seek a loan from Shylock, the Jew he openly despises? And what happens when, distraught at the elopement of his daughter with Antonio's Christian friend, Shylock demands Antonio 'look to his bond' and seeks his pound of flesh? In a compelling courtroom climax, a plea for mercy is pitted against the desire for revenge.

2005 TOUR DATES

DATE (2005)	VENUE	BOX OFFICE
21- 24 Sep at 7.45pm	Watermans Arts 40 High Street, Brentford TW8 0DS www.watermans.org.uk	020 8232 1010
27- 28 Sep at 7.30pm	Darlington Arts Centre Vane Terrace, Darlington DL3 7AX www.darlingtonarts.co.uk	01325 486555
Thu 29 Sep at 7.30pm	Queens Hall BeauMont Street, Hexham NE46 3LS www.queenshall.co.uk	01434 652477
Fri 30 Sep at 7.30pm	Darwen Library Theatre Knott Street, Darwen BB3 3BU www.blackburn.gov.uk	01254 706021
3 - 5 Oct at 8pm	Croydon Clocktower www.croydon.gov.uk/clocktower	020 8253 1030
6 - 8 Oct at 8pm	ArtsDepot 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner North Finchley, London N12 0GA www.artsdepot.co.uk	020 8369 5454
11 Oct at 1.30pm & 7.45pm	Hawth Crawley www.hawth.co.uk	01293 553636
Thu 13 Oct at 8pm	Brewery Arts Centre 122a Highgate, Kendal LA9 4HE www.breweryarts.co.uk	01539 725133
Sat 15 Oct at 7.30pm	Paisley Arts Centre New Street, Paisley, Scotland www.renfrewshire.gov.uk	0141 887 1010
Tue 18Oct at 7.30pm	Arena Theatre Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY www.arena.wlv.ac.uk	01902 321321
Thu 20 Oct at 8pm	Stanwix Arts Centre Tullie House, Carlisle www.tulliehouse.co.uk	01228 534781
21 - 22Oct at 7.30pm	John Thaw Studio University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester	0161 275 8950
24 - 25 Oct at 7.30pm	St Bride's Centre 10 Orwell Terrace, Edinburgh EH11 2DZ	0131 346 1405
27 - 29 Oct at 7.30pm	Ramshorn Theatre University of Strathclyde Drama Centre 98 Ingram Street, Glasgow G1 1ES	0141 548 2558
Wed 2 Nov at 8pm	21 South Street Reading RG1 4OU www.readingarts.com	0118 960 6060
Fri 4 Nov at 7.45pm	Gulbenkian Theatre University of Canterbury www.kent.ac.uk/gulbenkian	01227 769075
7 - 12 Nov at 7.30pm	Bristol Old Vic Studio www.bristol-old-vic.co.uk	0117 987 7877
15 - 16 Nov at 7.30pm	Rotherham Theatres Walker Place, Rotherham	01709 823621
Thu 17 Nov at 7.30pm	The Drum 144 Potters Lane, Birmingham B6 4UU www.the-drum.org.uk	0121 333 2444
18 - 19 Nov at 7.30pm	Lakeside Arts University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD www.lakesidearts.org.uk	0115 846 7777
Mon 21 Nov at 7.30pm	Buxton Opera House Water Street, Buxton SK17 6XN www.buxton-opera.co.uk	0845 127 2190
Thu 24 Nov at 7.30pm	St Donats Arts Centre St Donats Castle, Vale of Glamorgan CF61 1WF www.stdonats.com	01446 799100
25 - 26 Nov at 7.45pm	Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold CH7 1YA www.clywd-theatr-cymru.co.uk	0845 330 3565
28 - 30 Nov at 7.30pm	Theatr Mwldan Cardigan www.mwldan.co.uk	01239 621 200
1 - 3 Dec at 7.30pm	Taliesin Swansea www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk	01792 602060