The Conversos of Venice

by Ian Thal

Venice, 1601: Twelve years after the forced conversion portrayed in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice", an elderly Shylock lives as a strange prisoner: free to conduct his business throughout the city, but ever in fear of torture or death should authorities suspect that he has reverted to Judaism. Meanwhile, his estranged daughter, Gessica, now a mother, is slowly realizing that even a willing convert to...

Venice, 1601: Twelve years after the forced conversion portrayed in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice", an elderly Shylock lives as a strange prisoner: free to conduct his business throughout the city, but ever in fear of torture or death should authorities suspect that he has reverted to Judaism. Meanwhile, his estranged daughter, Gessica, now a mother, is slowly realizing that even a willing convert to Catholicism is not free from suspicion -- suspicions that may affect even her daughter's prospects. The merchant prince, Antonio, over-extended with his Christian creditors and unable to borrow from Jewish lenders, hatches a plan with his legal advisor, Portia, and Gessica's husband, Lorenzo, to seize the remains of Shylock's fortune in order to finance a new trade venture.

Having learned long ago that Antonio is not a man to be trusted and that Venice is not a city predisposed to give him justice, Shylock has been planning to escape so that he might live his last years in peace. Meanwhile, Gessica is drawn into the commercial conflict between her husband's friends and her father, and a bombastic Spanish ship captain in Antonio's employ seems willing to cut a deal with both sides.

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The Conversos of Venice

Recommended by

  • Donna Latham: The Conversos of Venice by Ian Thal
    “

    A rich, poetic, theatrical sequel and response to Shakespeare's "Merchant" and its troublesome anti-Semitism and character dynamics. World-building is remarkable, and I especially love the the commedia elements. I recently had the pleasure of being in the audience for a reading of this piece, and it was an absolute delight to experience actors sinking their choppers into juicy roles. Bravo, Ian Thal!

    A rich, poetic, theatrical sequel and response to Shakespeare's "Merchant" and its troublesome anti-Semitism and character dynamics. World-building is remarkable, and I especially love the the commedia elements. I recently had the pleasure of being in the audience for a reading of this piece, and it was an absolute delight to experience actors sinking their choppers into juicy roles. Bravo, Ian Thal!

    ”
  • Tony Tambasco: The Conversos of Venice by Ian Thal
    “

    A touching and thoughtful dramatic reply to The Merchant of Venice that would make an excellent companion piece to that play. Conversos blurs the line between history and fiction, and written in light of changing historical and scholarly perspectives on Shakespeare's characters, flips the script into a satisfying sequel. The cherry on top is Thal's inclusion of commedia and folk song as essential plot elements.

    A touching and thoughtful dramatic reply to The Merchant of Venice that would make an excellent companion piece to that play. Conversos blurs the line between history and fiction, and written in light of changing historical and scholarly perspectives on Shakespeare's characters, flips the script into a satisfying sequel. The cherry on top is Thal's inclusion of commedia and folk song as essential plot elements.

    ”
  • Nora Louise Syran: The Conversos of Venice by Ian Thal
    “

    Thal's play immerses us in the multicultural frenzy and bustling commerce of 17th century Venice -- complete, unlike its "prequel" THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, with its canals! While drawing from Commedia dell'arte's situational comedy, the tale is steeped in tragicomedy as running beneath it all is the ever present lurid antisemitism of Shakespeare's play and the treatment of the character Shylock. Thal "fleshes" out this character, humanizes him and adds moments of levity including my favorite line: "The Inglés wish not to become Escocés. I have seen their plays and they would rather be Italianos...

    Thal's play immerses us in the multicultural frenzy and bustling commerce of 17th century Venice -- complete, unlike its "prequel" THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, with its canals! While drawing from Commedia dell'arte's situational comedy, the tale is steeped in tragicomedy as running beneath it all is the ever present lurid antisemitism of Shakespeare's play and the treatment of the character Shylock. Thal "fleshes" out this character, humanizes him and adds moments of levity including my favorite line: "The Inglés wish not to become Escocés. I have seen their plays and they would rather be Italianos." Quite a trip!

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    ”
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Character Information

Notes on doubling:

The Capitano appears both masked and unmasked depending on the scene. They may be played by the same actor. If they are played by two different actors then the actors need not be of the same gender.

Keturah and Rotalinda may be doubled.
  • Natalia
    Daughter of Gessica and Lorenzo. Like many children, she is sometimes naïve, sometimes insightful. Still plays with dolls. Sings. Still has an active imagination. A small adult actor who can plausibly play a child is acceptable.
    11 or 12
    Jewish,
    Converso,
    Sephardic,
    Sephardi,
    Venetian,
    Mediterranean
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Child,
      Teens
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Launcelot Gobbo
    A Bergamàsch Zanni whose name is a vulgar joke. Smarter than his social superiors expect given his low station. Mostly uses his intelligence for his own amusement. Ravenous and promiscuous.
    Any Age
    Zanni
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Il Capitano
    Either a Spanish captain in the employment of Antonio, or a masked character from the commedia dell'arte. The narrator of the play, he mistakenly thinks that he is also the protagonist.

    Appears on stage both masked and unmasked. These appearances may be played by different actors. If two actors are used, it is recommended they be of different genders.
    Any Age
    Spaniard
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
  • Keturah
    One of the few woman in Venice who would seek employment in Shylock's house after the events of twelve years prior. Perhaps the only woman Shylock would hire.
    Any Age
    Jewish,
    Sephardic,
    Converso
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Rotalinda
    Servant in Antonio's palazzo. A brilliant chef. Married to a Neapolitan chicken thief. Sometimes sleeps with Launcelot.
    Any Age
    Venetian,
    Zannia
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Portia
    Inheritor of an ancient aristocratic line. Claims that her lineage traces back to the Roman Republic. Perhaps the Venetian Republic's most brilliant mind, excelling in alchemy, theology, political strategy, and polemical writings. Very much aware that due to her gender, her brilliance is unlikely to be remembered. Occasionally wears men's clothing. Probably should be the Doge of Venice.
    late 20s to 30s.
    Venetian,
    Mediterranean
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Gessica / Yiskah
    The Jessica of Shakespeare's play. A dozen years ago she broke her father's heart by abandoning Judaism and and converting to Catholicism. Now a mother and politically savvy enough to realize that she and her daughter's safety may not be politically expedient to others. Estranged daughter of Shylock. Mother of Natalia. Wife of Lorenzo. Still remembers Ladino-language songs from when she lived in the Ghetto.
    Late 20s to 30s.
    Jewish,
    Sephardic,
    Sephardi,
    Converso
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Shylock
    A dozen years after the events portrayed in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, he lives outwardly as a Christian. It is widely suspected that this is ruse and that he remains a crypto-Jew but the politics of the Venice prevent this matter from being pursed further.
    50s-70s+
    Sephardi,
    Sephardic,
    Jewish,
    Converso
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Lorenzo
    Son of minor nobility in the Venetian Republic. Prone to making rash decisions on his own though he has learned to take council from those wiser than him. Husband of the convert, Gessica. Father of Natalia.
    30s
    Venetian,
    Mediterranean
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Antonio
    The "Merchant of Venice". Powerful nobleman. Takes great risks in commerce. Creative use of leverage in dealing with his debts and avoiding scandal. Unmarried. Very much aware that he is in the last days of his middle-age, and is so concerned for his eternal soul. By twenty-first century standards, a gay man; Antonio is, however, a man of the sixteenth century.
    50s - 60s
    Venetian,
    Mediterranean
    Male,
    Gay
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male

Development History

  • Reading, Atlanta Dramatists, 2024
  • Reading, Chaos Theater Collective, 2021
  • Reading, Small Theatre Alliance of Boston, 2011

Awards

  • New Play Reading Series
     Wordsmyth Theater Company
    Semi-Finalist
    2015
  • Campfire Theatre Festival
    Campfire Theatre Festival
    Semi-Finalist
    2020