One of them, a local professor of Jewish descent, spits at Davies, calls him a “traitor to his race”, publishes a harsh review, and organizes a community boycott.
The play addresses questions surrounding the diverse nature of art, the role and duties of the artist and the theatre in regards to audience reaction and critical response.
Questions of historical revisionism, cultural manipulation, and political correctness lead to accusations of racism and of Jon as a “self-hating Jew”, forcing him to reassess his interpretation of the character as an actor, as well as his own persona.
[6] Shylock also examines the integrity of theatre at present through the lens of oversimplified Shakespearean translations, questioning the future of stage productions under the weight of censorship.
Writer Douglas J. Keating of the Inquirer Theatre Critic commends Leiren-Young for making “it clear what he thinks about the issues surrounding The Merchant of Venice while presenting “the controversy about its performance and censorship fully and fairly”.
Michael Turner in Canada’s National Post deems Shylock “an effective piece of writing” garnering a “lively” and engaged response from audience members.