theatre dybbuk Presents: The Villainy You Teach

The character of Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice has long been a source of debate. Some have argued that he is an antisemitic portrait with long-lasting effects on the perception of Jews in our world, while others have stated that the character is a nuanced portrayal that is empathetic to his plight. Often at the center of this debate is a speech in which Shylock proclaims his humanity while defending his vengeful desires. 

In The Villainy You Teach, theatre dybbuk explodes this famous speech and investigates the ways in which language can both take on a wide variety of meanings and lose all meaning through persistent examination and exposure. Audience members are invited to witness an actor perform this brief speech repeatedly, reciting it dozens of times. This reading is accompanied by a simultaneous reading of The Merchant of Venice in its entirety, its words acting as the container within which Shylock's speech exists. 

Audience members can stay in the space for the duration of the approximately 2.5-hour performance, or they can come and go, engaging with the performance in the manner that they choose.