A new production of The Merchant of Venice 1936, featuring Doctor Who star Tracy-Ann Oberman, is coming to Fareham.

The show, which will be staged at Fareham Live from March 4 to March 8, 2025, and is directed by Brigid Larmour.

The play has been adapted from Shakespeare's original work and moves the action to 1930s East London amid political turmoil and the Battle of Cable Street.

This modern setting adds a fresh layer to the classic tale of ambition, power, and political unrest.

The production will see Oberman, known for her roles in EastEnders, Friday Night Dinner, and as a Doctor Who star, taking on the role of Shylock. Acclaimed actor Joseph Millson, known for The Last Kingdom and The Forsyte Saga, will play the character of Antonio.

The cast also includes Georgie Fellows as Portia, Evie Hargreaves as Mary/Nerissa, Mikhail Sen as Lorenzo/Maharajah, and Elly Roberts as Stefania/Blackshirt.

Tracy-Ann Oberman said: "Having Joe join the cast of MOV36 as the merchant Antonio is the dream. He’s such a wonderful actor with a great Shakespearean pedigree and I’ve always admired his work. He’s not only a great friend but also an actor who I love being on stage with and I cannot wait to see what happens when my Shylock meets his Antonio in the East End of London, 1936."

The production's return to the stage follows a sold-out run at the Criterion Theatre earlier this year. After its limited West End run at London's Trafalgar Theatre from December 28 to January 25, the show will embark on a second UK tour for eight weeks.

This will give audiences across the country the chance to see the play, which has been described as "deeply relevant" by the Daily Telegraph.

The tour will include stops in Liverpool, Bath, Leeds, Salford, Fareham, Cardiff, Southend, and conclude in Birmingham on April 5, 2025.

The Merchant of Venice 1936 presents a high-stakes scenario where Shylock, a strong-willed single mother running a pawnbroking business, strikes a deal with the antisemitic aristocrat Antonio.

Tickets for the Fareham show can be booked at farehamlive.com.