<STRONG>From the Royal Shakespeare Company ¿ a fresh new edition of Shakespeare''s bittersweet comedy of courtship and ethnic tension</STRONG><BR><BR>THIS EDITION INCLUDES:<BR><BR>* An introduction to <EM>The Merchant of Venice</EM> by award-winning scholar <STRONG>Jonathan Bate</STRONG><BR>* The play ¿ with clear and authoritative explanatory notes on each page<BR>* A helpful scene-by-scene analysis and key facts about the play<BR>* An introduction to Shakespeare''s career and the Elizabethan theatre<BR>* A rich exploration of approaches to staging the play featuring photographs of key productions <BR><BR>The most enjoyable way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or participate in it. This unique edition presents a historical overview of <EM>The Merchant of Venice</EM> in performance, recommends film versions, takes a detailed look at specific productions and includes interviews with two leading directors and two actors ¿ <STRONG>Darko Tresnjak</STRONG>, <STRONG>David Thacke