Ever wondered how Shylock's case would hold up in a modern Canadian court?
Chief Justice of Canada Beverley McLachlin led a panel of judges in Stratford, Ont., as two prominent Canadian lawyers, Sheila Block and Alan Lenczner, argued The Merchant of Venice character's sentence in a mock trial on Oct. 5.
Shylock is an incredibly controversial character, and many people refer to the play as anti-Semitic – although many actors choose to portray Shylock in a sympathetic manner rather than as a pure villain or in a clownish way.
"The case against Shylock has been hotly debated for years," Stratford Festival artistic director Antoni Cimolino said in a press release. "As you’ll recall, his last trial didn’t go very well for him, so we have gathered some of the most distinguished members of the Canadian legal community to settle this dispute over a loan default once and for all."
Have you had a chance to see Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice at the Stratford Festival this year?
Watch the full trial below, which was streamed live online.
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