Palestinian-Israeli actor Makram J Khoury will make his Royal Shakespeare Company debut as Shylock in Polly Findlay’s production of The Merchant of Venice which opens in Stratford.
Khoury has worked on stage and screen for more than 50 years; he was awarded the 2014 Jerusalem Film Festival’s achievement award as well as the Israel Prize for acting—regarded as the state’s highest honour.
His credits include international films such as Fatih Akin’s The Cut, which was nominated for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2014, and Steven Spielberg’s Munich. He also played Tierno Bokar in Peter Brook’s theatre production 11 and 12 which toured for a year.
Patsy Ferran, winner of most promising newcomer in the Critics’ Circle awards, will make her RSC debut as Portia. She played Jim Hawkins in the National Theatre production of Treasure Island, also directed by Polly Findlay, and her other credits include the maid Edith in Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit at the Gielgud Theatre in the West End and the Paines Plough touring production of James Graham’s The Angry Brigade.
The rest of the cast includes Nadia Albina (Nerissa), David Ajao (singer/citizen of Venice), Jamie Ballard (Antonio), Scarlett Brookes (Jessica), James Corrigan (Lorenzo), Eva Feiler (lady/attendant), Owen Findlay (Salerio), Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (Bassanio), Guy Hughes (singer/citizen of Venice), Rina Mahoney (Portia's servant/Duke of Venice), Ken Nwosu (Gratiano/Morocco), Brian Protheroe (Aragon), Jay Saighal (Solanio) and Tim Samuels (Launcelot Gobbo/Tubal).
Set is by German designer Johannes Schütz, costumes are by Anette Guther and lighting is by Peter Mumford. Music is by Marc Tritschler with sound by Gareth Fry. Movement is by Aline David.
The Merchant of Venice runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from Thursday 14 May until Wednesday 2 September. Press night will be on Thursday 21 May.