Mr Plews gave us the task of taking a scene from a Shakespeare play, and making it our own by adding a certain theme to it. I chose Act III Scene I from The Merchant of Venice and the theme was Typical Irish Pub Talk. This is the script and summary:
MERCHANT OF VENICE SUMMARY
Bassanio needs 3000 ducats to travel to Belmont to attempt woo a beautiful princess, Portia. His loyal friend Antonio, a wealthy merchant from Venice, asks his enemy, Shylock, who is Jewish, for the ducats. Shylock agrees to loan the ducats only so he can plot a revenge after the way Antonio has treated him over the years. The forfeit is a 'pound of Antonio's flesh.' Bassanio succeeds in wooing Portia, however, Antonio is forced to forfeit the loan as his ships have crashed at sea. In court it seems Antonio is doomed however Portia, disguised as Balthazar finds a loophole in the clause which causes Shylock's fortune to turn. He loses half of his assets and is forced to convert to Christianity.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACT III SCENE I SUMMARY
Solanio and Salarino discuss the rumor that Antonio has lost yet a second ship. Shylock enters and complains that both Solanio and Salarino had something to do with his daughter's flight. They do not deny it, but instead ask Shylock if he has heard about Antonio's losses.
Shylock tells them that Antonio should "look to his bond" and make sure he repays the money, or else Shylock is planning on taking his pound of flesh. Shylock is furious with Antonio, whom he blames for the loss of Jessica, and also bears an older grudge against the man. He then delivers his famous soliloquy, "Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions..." The speech concludes with Shylock saying that he will be revenged for all the times he has been treated badly by Christians.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COLIN DOWNEY as SHYLOCK
JACK KELLY as SOLANIO
KYLE CAMPBELL as SALARINO
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACT III SCENE I
[Enter SOLANIO and SALARINO]
SOLANIO: Well any news Salarino?
SALARINO: Well ya didn't hear this from me now, but you know Antonio from over the bridge? Yeah well one of his ships is gone now. Banjaxed. Gone. Bottom of the sea. Pirates, I heard.
SOLANIO: Oh, Antonio won't like that ha? By christ them pirates I tell ya, they're absolute hooligans. Bloody hooligans the lot of them.
SALARINO: And he a lovely man as well.
SOLANIO: *tuts and rolls eyes* Ah look at this lad coming with the big thick head on him for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew.
[Enter SHYLOCK]
Well Shylock what news among the merchants? *nudges SALARINO*
SHYLOCK: You knew well didn't yeah ya, ya snake?
SALARINO: Oh I did yeah, sure I know the man who's boat she's on.
SOLANIO: As did I. Isn't that right Salarino?
SALARINO: That's right Solanio.
SOLANIO: Now for ya. *nods at SHYLOCK*
SHYLOCK: She is damned for it. Talk about a snakey move.
SALARINO: Well it's about time she left and she a grown woman now.
SOLANIO: Couldn't agree more.
SHYLOCK: My own flesh and blood to rebel. I wouldn't mind but the amount of money I spent on that 'wan. Just like her mother now by God.
SALARINO: She wasn't a bit like ya anyway.
SOLANIO: I! There is more difference between thy flesh
and hers than between jet and ivory.
SALARINO: Jaynee-mack well said Solanio.
Anyway Shylock, did you hear anything about Antonio's ships?
SHYLOCK: *evil laugh* That smug Christian eejit/fool. Let him look to his bond now! I'll make sure he forfeits.
SOLANIO: Sure what good is a Christian pound of flesh to you?
SHYLOCK: To bait fish withal; if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies— and what’s his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian,
what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge! The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.
SOLANIO: Ohri good man. [SHYLOCK exits]
SALARINO: Jayz what is that lad on ha? [SCENE OVER]
Bassanio needs 3000 ducats to travel to Belmont to attempt woo a beautiful princess, Portia. His loyal friend Antonio, a wealthy merchant from Venice, asks his enemy, Shylock, who is Jewish, for the ducats. Shylock agrees to loan the ducats only so he can plot a revenge after the way Antonio has treated him over the years. The forfeit is a 'pound of Antonio's flesh.' Bassanio succeeds in wooing Portia, however, Antonio is forced to forfeit the loan as his ships have crashed at sea. In court it seems Antonio is doomed however Portia, disguised as Balthazar finds a loophole in the clause which causes Shylock's fortune to turn. He loses half of his assets and is forced to convert to Christianity.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACT III SCENE I SUMMARY
Solanio and Salarino discuss the rumor that Antonio has lost yet a second ship. Shylock enters and complains that both Solanio and Salarino had something to do with his daughter's flight. They do not deny it, but instead ask Shylock if he has heard about Antonio's losses.
Shylock tells them that Antonio should "look to his bond" and make sure he repays the money, or else Shylock is planning on taking his pound of flesh. Shylock is furious with Antonio, whom he blames for the loss of Jessica, and also bears an older grudge against the man. He then delivers his famous soliloquy, "Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions..." The speech concludes with Shylock saying that he will be revenged for all the times he has been treated badly by Christians.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COLIN DOWNEY as SHYLOCK
JACK KELLY as SOLANIO
KYLE CAMPBELL as SALARINO
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACT III SCENE I
[Enter SOLANIO and SALARINO]
SOLANIO: Well any news Salarino?
SALARINO: Well ya didn't hear this from me now, but you know Antonio from over the bridge? Yeah well one of his ships is gone now. Banjaxed. Gone. Bottom of the sea. Pirates, I heard.
SOLANIO: Oh, Antonio won't like that ha? By christ them pirates I tell ya, they're absolute hooligans. Bloody hooligans the lot of them.
SALARINO: And he a lovely man as well.
SOLANIO: *tuts and rolls eyes* Ah look at this lad coming with the big thick head on him for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew.
[Enter SHYLOCK]
Well Shylock what news among the merchants? *nudges SALARINO*
SHYLOCK: You knew well didn't yeah ya, ya snake?
SALARINO: Oh I did yeah, sure I know the man who's boat she's on.
SOLANIO: As did I. Isn't that right Salarino?
SALARINO: That's right Solanio.
SOLANIO: Now for ya. *nods at SHYLOCK*
SHYLOCK: She is damned for it. Talk about a snakey move.
SALARINO: Well it's about time she left and she a grown woman now.
SOLANIO: Couldn't agree more.
SHYLOCK: My own flesh and blood to rebel. I wouldn't mind but the amount of money I spent on that 'wan. Just like her mother now by God.
SALARINO: She wasn't a bit like ya anyway.
SOLANIO: I! There is more difference between thy flesh
and hers than between jet and ivory.
SALARINO: Jaynee-mack well said Solanio.
Anyway Shylock, did you hear anything about Antonio's ships?
SHYLOCK: *evil laugh* That smug Christian eejit/fool. Let him look to his bond now! I'll make sure he forfeits.
SOLANIO: Sure what good is a Christian pound of flesh to you?
SHYLOCK: To bait fish withal; if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies— and what’s his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian,
what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge! The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.
SOLANIO: Ohri good man. [SHYLOCK exits]
SALARINO: Jayz what is that lad on ha? [SCENE OVER]