A Wilderness of Monkeys

Carol Fisher Sorgenfrei describes her new play as “a revenge-comedy sequel” to Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.
At the end of Shakespeare’s narrative, the merchant Antonio has successfully conspired with his friends Bassanio and Lorenzo to deprive the despised Jewish moneylender Shylock not only of his material goods but his beloved daughter Jessica. To inflict a further indignity upon the hated Jew, the court of Venice rules that he is to be converted to Christianity, which he must do in order to save his own life.
In Fisher Sorgenfrei’s play, Jessica, disillusioned with her mate Lorenzo, returns to her father’s house, sadder, wiser and remorseful. She and Shylock plot a scheme of revenge upon her father’s Gentile tormentors. Antonio the merchant will be in for the biggest surprise of all.
Directed by Beatrice Casagran. Presented by Ophelia's Jump Productions.