Sometimes a production feels urgently of the moment, and that is definitely the case with this electrifying adaptation of Shakespeare’s play. Starring Tracy-Ann Oberman as Shylock, and with the action moved to 1930s east London, it’s a timely indictment of antisemitism and a must-see event – so make sure you book The Merchant of Venice 1936 tickets on London Theatre now.

Shakespeare’s drama sees the Jewish moneylender Shylock demanding a pound of flesh from merchant Antonio, only to have the tables turned during a climactic trial in which religious discrimination is baked into this society’s form of justice.

Debate has long raged over whether Shakespeare’s text is itself antisemitic or not, but certainly this riveting new version, The Merchant of Venice 1936, is extremely clear in how it uses a real-life setting to reframe the story – and to speak to today through the prism of recent history.

Directed by Brigid Larmour, the production creates a female, East End Shylock whose business is situated on Cable Street – where, in 1936, there really were battles between Oswald Mosley’s Blackshirts and anti-fascist protesters. Here, Shylock and her family are under attack right from the start.

Following its critically acclaimed and hugely impactful UK tour, as well as a run at the Criterion Theatre earlier this year, The Merchant of Venice 1936 returns to the West End for an encore run.

Oberman reprises her pioneering performance of Shylock as a formidable Jewish matriarch fighting for her rights – and her family. It’s the latest in a long line of impressive performances on stage and screen from Oberman, whose past work includes Doctor Who, Friday Night Dinner, Boeing-Boeing, EastEnders, Toast of London, and Noises Off.