What do you think?
Rate this book
Shylock
Shylock is an award-winning play about a Jewish actor who finds himself condemned by his own community for his portrayal of Shakespeare’s notorious Jew.
- GenresPlays
66 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2001
2 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Mark Leiren-Young
27 books59 followers“Mark Leiren-Young is a playwright, author, screenwriter, novelist, journalist, editor, podcaster, producer, director, documentarian, comedy performer, satirist, memoirist, university lecturer, occasional actor and full-time environmentalist.” -David Lennam, Yam Magazine.
Mark has been dubbed "Canada’s greenest writer." Many of his projects feature a green theme, such as his award-winning films, The Green Film (a comedy short about going green), and his feature "The Green Chain," (starring Tricia Helfer and August Schellenberg). And now, his newest book, "Greener Than Thou."
Mark wrote and directed the award-winning documentary, The Hundred-Year-Old Whale, and hosts the Skaana podcast - which features stories about orcas, oceans, eco-ethics and the environment.
As half of the popular comedy duo "Local Anxiety" he released the 2009 CD "Greenpieces," and cuts from the satirical album have been featured on CBC Radio and NPR and are available on Spotify and YouTube.
Leiren-Young's first full-time journalism job was at "The Williams Lake Tribune," a small newspaper in Williams Lake, British Columbia. He turned these experiences into a comic memoir, Never Shoot A Stampede Queen, which won the 2009 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.
His news and feature writing, humour pieces, reviews and columns have appeared in a host of publications in Canada and the U.S., including Time, Maclean's and The Utne Reader.
Mark also has extensive television writing credits, with over 100 hours of produced work. His love of comic books inspires his work on a number of animated series, including ReBoot and Beast Wars: Transformers. He also has many credits writing for drama series, and credits include PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal and Blood Ties.
Mark's plays have been produced around the world. His latest play, Playing Shylock, starring Saul Rubinek, makes its American debut at the Polonsky Shakespeare Centre in New York in October, 2025.
His most popular play, "Shylock," about the tensions surrounding theatre's most famous Jewish character. Shylock has been produced around the world and is published by Anvil Press.
Mark has been dubbed "Canada’s greenest writer." Many of his projects feature a green theme, such as his award-winning films, The Green Film (a comedy short about going green), and his feature "The Green Chain," (starring Tricia Helfer and August Schellenberg). And now, his newest book, "Greener Than Thou."
Mark wrote and directed the award-winning documentary, The Hundred-Year-Old Whale, and hosts the Skaana podcast - which features stories about orcas, oceans, eco-ethics and the environment.
As half of the popular comedy duo "Local Anxiety" he released the 2009 CD "Greenpieces," and cuts from the satirical album have been featured on CBC Radio and NPR and are available on Spotify and YouTube.
Leiren-Young's first full-time journalism job was at "The Williams Lake Tribune," a small newspaper in Williams Lake, British Columbia. He turned these experiences into a comic memoir, Never Shoot A Stampede Queen, which won the 2009 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.
His news and feature writing, humour pieces, reviews and columns have appeared in a host of publications in Canada and the U.S., including Time, Maclean's and The Utne Reader.
Mark also has extensive television writing credits, with over 100 hours of produced work. His love of comic books inspires his work on a number of animated series, including ReBoot and Beast Wars: Transformers. He also has many credits writing for drama series, and credits include PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal and Blood Ties.
Mark's plays have been produced around the world. His latest play, Playing Shylock, starring Saul Rubinek, makes its American debut at the Polonsky Shakespeare Centre in New York in October, 2025.
His most popular play, "Shylock," about the tensions surrounding theatre's most famous Jewish character. Shylock has been produced around the world and is published by Anvil Press.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 17, 2025
I think that this has good takes and an interesting perspective on whether or not Merchant of Venice should be performed on a stage.
However, I do not think it should have been in a play form. I wish it was more like a novel.
However, I do not think it should have been in a play form. I wish it was more like a novel.
September 29, 2017
Fell in love with this play. Tried to get a production of it up at one time and would still love to direct it. Thought provoking.
April 12, 2012
Monologue from an actor portraying Shylock in a production shut down by protest. Fascinating exploration of art, racism, and censorship,
I saw the American Premier in 1998 at the Walnut Street Theater directed by Deborah Block and performed by William Leach. It was great and stuck in my mind. So glad to have found it published.
I saw the American Premier in 1998 at the Walnut Street Theater directed by Deborah Block and performed by William Leach. It was great and stuck in my mind. So glad to have found it published.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews