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
Shakespeare in the Arb as "Shakespeare in the Arb is a hugely popular local summer tradition." A particular favorite is A Midsummer Night's Dream. The play—with its natural setting, structure, and language—is perfect for presenting in the arboretum, which features dense heavy woods with mature trees, large lawns, steep hills, and a river. In 2015, A Midsummer Night's Dream was presented for the third time since the festival began. Shakespeare in the Arb Shakespeare in the Arb is an annual event, presented in the open, in Nichols Arboretum. Nichols Arboretum is a 123-acre (49.7 hectares) heavily wooded park, with large landscape lawns surrounded by