Based on Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice: THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (Dir. Agnius Jankevičius)

The Merchant of Venice Based on William Shakespeare's comedy The Merchant of Venice Premiere – December 7, 2025 Performance in Russian with Lithuanian subtitles A musical political tragi-farce This interpretation by Agnius Jankevičius of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice is not a historical stylisation — you will find no Renaissance in the set or costumes, nor any purely Shakespearean dramaturgy. The production is a reflection of today's political, social, and mental tensions. The performance space radiates the present day, with clear references to current global and Lithuanian politics. It examines power structures and processes, the collision between the powerful and the outcasts, and explores the theme of division and social polarisation. The play is socially engaged, uncomfortable, and swims against the current, striking at the most painful points of society. Audiences will likely recognise political figures, but their images only serve to embody the idea — what is happening, how power relations affect us, how the gears of this mechanism turn. A black sphere hovers above the stage — an image of looming evil; icons of pop culture, politics, and contemporary life form the visual core of the production. Or perhaps all problems can simply be solved by buying votes — 3,000 souls of the dead? According to director Agnius Jankevičius, a person no longer feels complete in themselves, feeling whole only when merged, colliding, taking something from another.

Adresas: Vilniaus senasis teatras