<P> The earliest performance of which a record has survived was held at the court of King James in the spring of 1605 , followed by a second performance a few days later , but there is no record of any further performances in the 17th century . In 1701 , George Granville staged a successful adaptation , titled The Jew of Venice , with Thomas Betterton as Bassanio . This version ( which featured a masque ) was popular , and was acted for the next forty years . Granville cut the clownish Gobbos in line with neoclassical decorum ; he added a jail scene between Shylock and Antonio , and a more extended scene of toasting at a banquet scene . Thomas Doggett was Shylock , playing the role comically , perhaps even farcically . Rowe expressed doubts about this interpretation as early as 1709 ; Doggett 's success in the role meant that later productions would feature the troupe clown as Shylock . </P>
<P> The earliest performance of which a record has survived was held at the court of King James in the spring of 1605 , followed by a second performance a few days later , but there is no record of any further performances in the 17th century . In 1701 , George Granville staged a successful adaptation , titled The Jew of Venice , with Thomas Betterton as Bassanio . This version ( which featured a masque ) was popular , and was acted for the next forty years . Granville cut the clownish Gobbos in line with neoclassical decorum ; he added a jail scene between Shylock and Antonio , and a more extended scene of toasting at a banquet scene . Thomas Doggett was Shylock , playing the role comically , perhaps even farcically . Rowe expressed doubts about this interpretation as early as 1709 ; Doggett 's success in the role meant that later productions would feature the troupe clown as Shylock . </P>
when was the merchant of venice first performed
when was the merchant of venice first performed
spring of 1605
spring of 1605