Brand new production images for the National Youth Theatre’s production of The Merchant of Venice as part of the 2015 season at the Ambassadors Theatre have been released ahead of opening next week (the show is already in previews).

Tom Stoppard’s abridged version of Shakespeare’s play will be directed by the National Youth Theatre Associate Anna Niland. The play was originally abridged by Stoppard so that the play could be performed by the National Youth Theatre at the National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing.

Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is a tale of prejudice, justice and mercy, and is set against austerity and immigration in this newly commissioned version of the play that explores the laws of society and how your heritage dictates your destiny.

Set in modern Venice, where austerity is hitting all those except people at the very top, Portia is a wealthy heiress searching for a suitor. Bassanio borrows money from Antonio to help his attempt to win her over. in turn Antonio borrows money from the moneylender Shylock. But when the contract is broken, tensions begin to boil over as Shakespeare’s most unforgettable outcast demands his pound of flesh…

The National Youth Theatre are returning to the Ambassadors Theatre following successful seasons in 2013 and 2014. Other productions to feature in this season are a new adaptation of Emily Bronte’s classic Wuthering Heights and a brand new play by Evan Placey titled Consensual.

The National Youth Theatre will be performing at the Ambassadors Theatre in London until the 4th December. For full details of when each of the productions on and to book tickets visit: http://www.nyt.org.uk/events/ .