Dramatization

The Merchant of Venice comes alive in audio. These dramatizations lean into the play’s sharp contrasts — lively Venice, tense courtrooms, clever lovers, and the unexpected humor threading through it all. Expect full-cast performances, rich sound design, and recordings that highlight both the wit and the weight of the story. The quality varies, but when these audio productions work, they really work.

The Merchant Of Venice (The Arc) cover

The Merchant Of Venice (The Arc)

Runtime: 3h 15m
Narrator: Geoffrey Giuliano, The Arc…
The Merchant of Venice (Blackstone ) cover

The Merchant of Venice (Blackstone )

Runtime: 2h 34m
Narrator: Denis Daly, Catherine Bilson, Alexandra …
The Merchant of Venice (ARKANGEL) cover

The Merchant of Venice (ARKANGEL)

Runtime: 2h 16m
Narrator: a full cast, Bill Nighy, Haydn Gwynne, G…
The Merchant of Venice cover

The Merchant of Venice

Runtime: 2h 20m
Narrator: Hugh Griffith, Ronnie Barker, Harry Andr…
The Merchant of Venice (ARGO Classics) cover

The Merchant of Venice (ARGO Classics)

Runtime: 2h 24m
Narrator: Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professiona…
The Merchant of Venice (Naxos) cover

The Merchant of Venice (Naxos)

Runtime: 2h 29m
Narrator: Antony Sher, et al
The Merchant Of Venice (BBC Radio) cover

The Merchant Of Venice (BBC Radio)

Runtime: 2h 1m
Narrator: David Morrissey, Full Cast, Juliet Aubre…

Novels Based On The Merchant of Venice

These novels approach The Merchant of Venice from wildly different angles, each pulling at a different thread of the original play. And After the Fire explores legacy, faith, and moral inheritance through a modern historical lens. The Serpent of Venice takes the opposite path, blending satire, adventure, and Shakespearean mash-up mischief into something bold and irreverent. Shylock Is My Name digs straight into the emotional and cultural core of the play, reinterpreting Shylock’s story with sharp, contemporary insight.

It’s a small collection for a reason: Merchant is one of Shakespeare’s most challenging works to adapt into modern fiction. Most authors and publishers would not touch the semitism and tough themes with a barge pole. The result is a shorter list — but one filled with ambitious, thoughtful, and daring reimaginings.

The Serpent of Venice: A Novel cover

The Serpent of Venice: A Novel

Runtime: 10h 34m
Narrator: Euan Morton
Shylock is My Name: The Merchant of Venice Retold cover

Shylock is My Name: The Merchant of Venice Retol…

Runtime: 7h 28m
Narrator: Michael Kitchen
And After the Fire: A Novel cover

And After the Fire: A Novel

Runtime: 12h 33m
Narrator: Xe Sands, Simon Vance…