News from the Rialto

Written by Stewart Permutt

Virginia Morris a former rank starlet has been retired for over sixteen years. She makes a valedictory speech at a friend`s funeral and then is way-laid by Riccardo Spallone a passionate Italian stage director. He has a mission, he wants to direct The Merchant Of Venice in a pub in Stoke Newington. But he has an entirely new slant on it. He wants Shylock to be played as a Jewish housewife called Miriam Shylock and he persuades Virginia to take the role.