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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 30 JUNE 2024 2 THEATRE Booking opens for Shakespeare in the gardens MADC's much- loved summer f ixture at San Anton Gardens returns this July with The Merchant of Venice – and an early bird ticket offer THE return of summer in Mal- ta also heralds a must-see for all classical theatre lovers – the annual Shakespeare in the Gar- dens from MADC. Performed outdoors in full pe- riod costume within the beauti- ful surroundings of San Anton Gardens, this year's production of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice is directed by MADC Artistic Director Ste- phen Oliver. And booking for this beloved comedy from the Bard is now open at www.madc.com.mt, with an early bird offer that has tickets starting at €25 for a very limited time only. Starring Stephen Oliver as Shy- lock and Edward Caruana Gal- izia as Antonio, the merchant of Venice himself, the excellent cast of MADC's The Merchant of Venice also includes Julia Camilleri as Portia and Gianlu- ca Mifsud as Bassanio, among a large and talented ensemble. The tale begins with Bassanio, an aristocratic but poor young man of Venice, who has fallen in love with Portia, a wealthy and beautiful lady of Belmont. But he needs money to woo her, so he turns to his friend Antonio, the merchant of Venice, for a loan. Antonio, whose assets are tied up in business ventures, borrows from a moneylender named Shy- lock, signing a bond agreeing to give Shylock a pound of his flesh if he doesn't settle the debt by a certain date. When that date ar- rives still unpaid, a trial ensues, with Shylock's claim to a pound of Antonio's flesh brought be- fore the duke – but all is not what it seems in the courtroom. "The Merchant of Venice is Shakespeare's funny and roman- tic courtroom thriller, with the Bard at his boldest, most dan- gerous and most entertaining," says Stephen Oliver. "As we re- turn to San Anton Gardens for another Shakespeare production under the stars, we invite every- one to experience the magic of live theatre with a timeless story, remarkable performances and an enchanting outdoor setting, which promises to be a highlight of the summer." MADC's production of Wil- liam Shakespeare's The Mer- chant of Venice performs at San Anton Gardens, Attard, from 19-22 and 24-28 July at 8.30pm. Suitable for audiences aged 10 and above. Tickets are available at www.madc.com.mt with an early bird price starting at €25 for a limited time only (full price €30 and €27). Above and Below: Photos by Dave Zammit