Shakespeare's masterpiece in the hands of Alexander Morfov - could there be a better way to celebrate the beginning of a theatre season? 

     After "The Visit" (2011), "The Tempest" (2014) and "No Man's Land" (2016) Morfov's fourth production on the stage of the I. L. Caragiale National Theatre is here to thrill Bucharest audience. 

   Written in the end of 16-th century, "The Merchant of Venice" sounds as modern as could be. Shakespeare’s play is ofted labelled as controversial due to its delicate net of avarice, racism and vengeance – interwoven and interdependent of each other.

     Antonio is a merchant who has recently sent his ships to trade with the east. He lends money from the Jewish moneylender Shylock to help his friend Bassanio win the heart of the wealthy Portia. As it turns out, there are more than one couples in love. Lorenzo, a friend of Bassanio’s, falls in love with Jessica, Shylock’s daughter as she elopes with him, the christian, but not before taking some of the family’s treasures with her. Graziano, also their friend, falls in love with Nerissa, Portia’s maid. Shortly, a somber shadow is cast over the happiness of the young. Antonio’s ships are lost at sea, debts are merciless and he was unable to return the money to Shylock. 

     Avarice has become rage which is eating out the moneylender’s mind like a parasite. Armed with a signed contract, the rage is setting for a lawsuit to regain its stake. The stake? A pound of Antonio’s flesh. Human flesh is about to become a victim of the monstrous thirst for vengeance that will readily tear pieces of meat from a living being, witnessing his blood draining drop by drop, severing him slowly and painfully, destroying him physically. But remember – this beastly act is triggerred by the purest and the most sacred of all aims – two young people who could find and love each other forever. More than two, as a matter of fact. The blissful dreams of loving and the freehearted friendship are blasted by crooked avarice. Anything that’s human, dignified, beautiful and honorable is subdued to legal brutality in the expression of one small signature on one small sheet of paper.     What are we to prefer – being lawful or being just – this is a question which the 20th century partially posed while the 21st century certainly complicated. If it is not the law but it is justice – whose justice should it be – mine, yours, Jesus’, Allah’s, Jahweh’s? And if it is not justice, then how does it matter what it is, be it the law? Our civilization is yet to decide which is more sacred. Each of us has his own answer and, therefore, there can be no answer yet.