How do you make a 400-year old play about a wealthy conniving murderer who happens to be Jewish seem not so offensive? Play it up, of course! And that's just what director David Herskovits did in his companion production to the Theater for a New Audience's "Merchant of Venice" so (heavily) handled by Darko Tresnjak (love that name!). Yes, this "Jew of Malta" is in some ways quite the opposite of "Merchant" … it's a period production, and it never once aims for the high road. The cast (same actors as "Merchant") crank the comedy knob way past Farce and aim for something in the danger zone. I laughed my ass off, but unfortunately I was easily heard over the (mostly) silent audience.
