Portia (The Merchant of Venice) original Portia Shakespeare drew from was Porcia Catonis, the wife of the Roman statesman Brutus. She was also compared to the wife of Brutus within the play in Act 1 scene 1 when Bassanio talks to Antonio. The strength of the role of Portia has made it attractive to many notable actresses. Frances Abington, Sarah Siddons and Elizabeth Whitlock all played Portia in the 18th century when actresses first started appearing on stage in performances of the play. More recently, the role has been depicted in the cinema and on television by a number of notable actresses such as Maggie
On the Razzle (play) On the Razzle (play) On the Razzle is a play by Tom Stoppard. It is an adaptation of the Viennese play "Einen Jux will er sich machen" by Johann Nestroy, which had been adapted twice by Thornton Wilder. The first 1938 version, entitled "The Merchant of Yonkers", was faithful to the original material, but the second 1955 version, renamed "The Matchmaker", expanded the previously secondary role of Dolly Gallagher Levi, who later became the heroine of the Jerry Herman musical hit, "Hello, Dolly!". Stoppard's adaptation eliminates the Dolly character. The play's title is a euphemism often used by the British