Play Review – Der Kaufmann (Instructional Minutes edition)

“Der Kaufmann” is Tanghalang Pilipino’s third offering for their 27^th theater season, after the children’s musical “SandosenangSapatos” and the epic musical “Ibalong”. “Der Kaufmann” is an adaptation of “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare based on the Tagalog translation “Ang Negosyante ng Venecia” by National Artist Rolando Tinio and set in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II.

Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice” is mind-blowing in itself; but to have it translated in Tagalog? When I shared this experience to my friends, they were incredulous:  How can one translate the famous speeches in the play, like Shylock’s “Hath not a Jew eyes?” (Act 3, Scene 1) and Portia’s “The quality of mercy” (Act 3, Scene 5)? Furthermore, “Merchant” deals with themes of anti-Semitism and homophobia, and ends with legalistic maneuvering in a courtroom. Shakespeare’s play itself is tough going already, but “Der Kaufmann” dares to add the additional layers of rendering it in Tagalog and setting it in a Nazi concentration camp.

In preparing to watch and to review this play, I read a lot—perhaps the most that I had to do with any of the plays I’ve reviewed so far. I downloaded Shakespeare’s original play (courtesy of ManyBooks.Net and downloadable here) and read books on Judaism, anti-Semitism, and the Holocaust (HaShoah in Hebrew).

Summary

The play is a “play within a play” where the Jews who were forced into a concentration camp were forced by the Nazis to stage Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice". The play culminates when the Jews, the homosexuals, and the Gypsies were gassed to death.

Antonio, a merchant of Venice, is approached by his friend Bassanio, for a loan. Bassanio needs money to fund an expedition to Belmont in order to vie for the hand of the wealthy heiress, Portia. Antonio does not have the money with him at the moment but promises to borrow the money for him—3,000 ducats—from the Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Bassanio refuses for Antonio to enter such a deal but Antonio assures him that he will be able to pay the loan when his merchant ships arrive.

Shylock initially refuses to lend Antonio the amount because Antonio has repeated insulted him and his people. He finally agrees to lend the amount with no interest, provided that Antonio pays his loan in three months. If he defaults his loan, the penalty is that Shylock gets to remove “a pound of flesh” from Antonio. Meanwhile, Launcelot, Shylock’s servant decides to leave his Jewish master to work instead for Bassanio. Also, Jessica, Shylock’s daughter, decides to elope with Bassanio’s friend Lorenzo; taking with her a substantial amount of her father’s wealth. Bassanio and Gratiano, his uncouth friend, leave for Belmont to win Portia’s hand.

At Belmont, Portia and her maidservant Nerissa receive the prince of Morocco, who is also vying for her hand. But Portia’s late father left a test for his daughter’s suitors. He left behind three chests—one made of gold, the other silver, and the other lead—and whoever chooses that one with Portia’s picture will marry her. The Prince chooses the gold one reasoning that he is worthy to get what everyone wants, but gets a skull instead. Meanwhile in Venice, Shylock is distraught to discover that his daughter he run away but rejoices with the news that Antonio’s ships have been destroyed by a storm at sea. In Belmont, the next suitor is the prince of Aragon, who chooses the silver one, reasoning that he is worthy to get what he deserves. Instead, he gets the picture of a buffoon. 

Bassanio arrives in Belmont and he and Portia fall in love. Portia tries to delay the test but Bassanio insists on choosing a chest immediately. He correctly chooses the lead one, for he is ready to risk all that he has for Portia. Nerissa and Gratiano also fall in love, so a double wedding was scheduled. Portia gives a ring to Bassanio with a promise that he will never lose the ring. The celebrations were cut short with the news of the destruction of Antonio’s ships and the default of this loan. Bassanio and Gratiano return to Venice to Antonio’s aid. Portia and Nerissa follow incognito.

Antonio’s trial is presided over by the Duke of Venice. He has engaged the services of a doctor of law, which is actually Portia in disguise. Nerissa is disguised as Portia’s secretary. Bassanio offers to pay double the amount. Portia pleads for Shylock to show mercy upon Antonio, but the Jew insists on getting his due. Portia finds that the contract of Antonio and Shylock is legally binding and instructs him to get a pound of Antonio’s flesh. However, Shylock must not shed any blood and must get exactly one pound of flesh. Trapped in a bind, Shylock was found guilty of “conspiring against the life of a Venetian citizen”. As punishment, he is forced to convert to Christianity and his property is confiscated—half of which will go to the State and the other half to his daughter Jessica.

Grateful to the doctor of law, Antonio offers to pay him the six thousand ducats. Portia refuses, but she asks for Antonio’s ring instead. Nerissa in disguise also asks Gratiano for his ring.

Back in Belmont, Portia and Nerissa ask their husbands for their rings. The husbands could not produce the rings, claiming that they gave them to men. The women accuse the men of lying and infidelity. In the end, Portia and Nerissa produced the rings, revealing that they were in fact the doctor of law and the clerk, respectively. Both men were reconciled with their husbands and they celebrate their good fortune.

Technical Notes: Stage, Lights, Sounds

The play was staged at the Bulwagang Huseng Batute, the “studio theater”. The stage is arranged in an inverted “V” shape. There is an upper level which where scenes in Belmont were usually played. The lower level is composed of sliding frames with “cyclone wire” which represents cages. There is a square open area at the center where most of the action happens. In the middle of the play, during the wedding or Portia and Bassiano, Bassiano and his friends were revealed to be Nazis. They strapped the Nazi insignia on their left arms. To complete the effect, the red banner emblazoned with that hateful symbol, the swastika, was hoisted up from the sides. Portia and the rest give the one-armed Nazi salute. (It has been said that Hitler got the idea from Mussolini.) The transformation has been completed: The set is now a concentration camp.

Huseng Batute is a smallish venue so the cast did not need to use microphones. Also, only recorded music was used. There was only one musical number: a comical piece by Launcelot announcing his intend to depart from his Jewish master.

 The set gave me the creeps.

The sounds are the work of TJ Ramos and the lights were by John Batalla (who also did “Sandosenang Sapatos” and “Ibalong”) .

Acting

(Photo courtesy of Tanghalang Pilipino)

Regina de Vera gave an excellent performance as the wealthy heiress of Belmont. Previously she played the sweet older sister in “Sandosenang Sapatos” (albeit a static character). But in “Kaufmann” Regina was perfect in her haughty, upturned-nosed portrayal of Portia. One by one she deprecated her suitors, but melted like wax at the sight of Bassanio. She was also able to portray Portia’s alter-ego, the doctor of law, as a legal eagle, trapping Shylock in a web of legal technicalities. Overall, Regina gave a strong performance portraying a strong woman. There is no question “Kaufmann” is Regina’s play. Kudos, Miss de Vera!

(Photo courtesy of Tanghalang Pilipino)

The play guest-stars comedian par excellance Mr. Lou Veloso, who played Gobo, the bumbling father of Launcelot, Shylock’s friend Tubal, and the Duke of Venice. As he was presiding over the trial of Antonio, high upon the upper level and dressed in a Nazi uniform, Lou Veloso looked every inch the Füehrer. Great work, sir!

Too bad “Kaufmann” was not a musical so we were not regaled with the rich baritone of Jonathan “Tad” Tadionan (the father in “Sandosena” and Aswang in “Ibalong”), but he ably played the role of Shylock, complete with a grimace on his face and a limp in his gait. Tad is a good actor but infinitely better as a singer.

(Photo courtesy of Tanghalang Pilipino)

One of the surprises of the play is that Shylock is played not by one but three actors. Miss Racquel Pareño displayed great acting cred by portraying Shylock the mother. Her scenes were especially memorable: the “Hath not the Jew eyes?” speech and the scene where she was schizophrenically distressed over Jessica’s elopement while rejoicing over the loss of Antonio’s ships. Another memorable scene is when she rushed over to the fallen Shylock the father during the trial and delivered some of Shylock’s lines.

I also found it too bad that my favorite child stage actress, Trixie Esteban, only had a few lines in the play. She played Shylock the daughter, who delivered the final lines assigned to Shylock in the play. While we were not treated to her sweet singing voice, her clear, innocent voice seems to hang in the air as she delivered her lament.

The comedic foils were also very effective in the play (“Merchant” is a comedy, after all): Kristofer Kliatchko as the Prince of Morocco, and Aldo Vencilao as Launcelot and the Prince of Aragon.

Antonio and Bassanio. (Photo courtesy of Tanghalang Pilipino)

Hands down the most controversial roles went to Marco Viaña as Antonio and Ricardo Magno as Bassanio, friends and lovers in the play.

Theological Reflections

Anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism is hatred towards the Jewish people (who descended from Shem, son of Noah). The Jews here were not depicted as “Christ-killers” but as usurious moneylenders. The Catholic Church used to forbid its members from engaging in moneylending. But the Jews follow Deuteronomy 28:20-21:

Thou shalt not lend upon interest to thy brother: interest of money, interest of victuals [food], interest of any thing that is lent upon interest. Unto a foreigner thou mayest lend upon interest; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon interest; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou puttest thy hand unto, in the land whither thou goest in to possess it. (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)

--which means Jews may lend money without interest to fellow Jews (“thy brother”) but may charge interest to non-Jews, i.e., “foreigners”. Hence that there is a conspiracy theory that Jews are “international bankers” and that they control the international banks, the press, etc.

In my observation, Jews are perceived in this country either as fairies or Christ-killers. A lot of Filipinos thought that Jews only existed in the Bible. A lot of people I talked to were surprised when I told them that there is actually a Jewish synagogue in Makati. (A Jewish doctor I talked to related a story of a nun who told him, “I’ve never met a Jew before!” He then pointed to Jesus on a Cross and said, “He’s Jewish.”)

But the more sinister perception is that Filipinos (and a lot of other misinformed people) think that the Jews are Christ-killers. One member from one of my former church assignments described the ugly features of “Jews” who are whipping Jesus in a tableau that Catholics parade around during Holy Week. I would like to point out that while Jesus was indeed condemned by Jewish religious leaders (the Sanhedrin), the execution was authorized by a Roman governor and carried out by Roman soldiers!  If one asks who is guilty of killing Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) are guilty! But it doesn’t matter: Jesus died for the forgiven of everyone’s sins, Jew or Gentile (Romans 1:16)!

Let me highlight a little-known chapter in Philippine history. In the story, Shylock is forced to convert to Christianity. For centuries European Jews had been forced to convert to Christianity but they still secretly observed Jewish religious customs. One little-known part of Philippine history is that these so-called nuevos cristianos (‘New Christians’) or Marranos (secret Jews) fled here to the Philippines to be able to escape persecution from in Spain and to be able to practice their religion freely. In World War II, President Manuel L. Quezon granted sanctuary to the Jews escaping the Holocaust in Europe. After the War, most of these Jews immigrated to the US or made aliyah to Israel. The remaining Jews compose the Jewish community in the Philippines. Most of us Filipinos are unaware that the Philippines was responsible for saving the lives about 1,200 Jews from the horrors of the Holocaust!

Homosexuality and homophobia. One of the questions posed by the audience is the homosexual relationship of Antonio and Bassanio (“My Husband’s Lover,” as many in the audience commented, referring to a local television program where a husband has an affair with another man.) According to the all-knowing Wikipedia, the homosexual angle between Antonio and Bassanio has been long a topic of scholarly debate. The play also pointed out that the Nazis not only committed genocide against the Jews but they also mass murdered homosexuals.

The issue on homosexuality is currently a hot issue of debate even within religious circles. I don’t wish to write at length on this topic now. Suffice it to say that I wholeheartedly subscribe to the official position of my denomination, The United Methodist Church as stated in the Social Principles:

Homosexual persons no less than heterosexual persons are individuals of sacred worth. All persons need the ministry and guidance of the church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self. The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that God's grace is available to all, and we will seek to live together in Christian community. We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons.

As people of “sacred worth” “no less than heterosexual people”, homophobia has no place in the Church. However, the Church is currently against the ordination of “self-avowed” homosexuals and forbids its pastors to conduct same-sex marriages and the use of our churches for such ceremonies. I do not see the end of the homosexuality debate anywhere in sight. Suffice it for me to say for now that I believe that the Bible condemns homosexuality as a sin; and that such people, just like all of us common sinners, need the ministry of the Church. Jesus died on the Cross for them as much as he died for us “ordinary” sinners.

Excursus: Feminism. Perhaps what is not much discussed is the portrayal of Portia as a powerful woman. She is shown as a woman in charge; even if the choice for her husband is left to a game of chance. When the news of Antonio’s trouble reached Belmont, it was Portia who give Antonio the money—double of the amount owed—to Bassanio. Then, disguised as a man, she managed to outmaneuver Shylock in an example of courtroom cunning—the sort of judicial jujitsu that would make any defense lawyer proud. I have always wondered: How did Portia become so well versed in law?

For me, the play would have ended at the trial of Antonio where Shylock was defeated. I’m wondering why it had to end with the Portia tricking her husband. Bassanio, grateful for the help of the doctor of law but Portia instead asks for his ring. Likewise, Nerissa, disguised as the doctor of law’s secretary, asks for his husband Gratiano’s ring. In Belmont, Portia and Nerissa confronted their husbands for losing their rings and accuse them of lying and infidelity, only to reveal that the rings were in their possession all along? Is it just female nature to always put men to the test?

Conclusion

With the successful staging of "The Merchant of Venice",  I hope that Tanghalang Pilipino would be able to present other Shakespearean plays in future, like Hamlet ("To be or not to be, that is the question..."), the story of a prince who pretended to be insane to avoid being punishment for the alleged murder of his own father; and Othello, which is about a black Moorish prince who married a white Italian woman. Hopefully, these will be translated in Tagalog and placed in contemporary settings (Did I hear "Obama" instead of "Othello"?) in order to make these great works accessible to the people.