In collaboration with Bell Shakespeare and commemorating Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary, FODI (Festival of Dangerous Ideas) presents Mercy – a panel and performance inspired by the iconic playwright’s The Merchant of Venice.
In a reimagination of the 16th century courtroom scene, Mercy brings together both performers and academics to discuss the contemporary relevance and timelessness of human dilemmas such as mercy, justice and the law. By exploring these universal concepts, the panel will question whether our obsession with ‘justice’ blinds us from realising the potential for something better.
The esteemed panel includes philosopher and author A.C. Grayling; South Sudanese child soldier-turned-lawyer Deng Adut; Shakespeare scholar and renowned feminist Germaine Greer and former High Court judge and human rights activist Michael Kirby.
Performers include John Bell, James Evans, Andrea Demetriades, Brian Lipson, Damien Strouthos and Jacob Warner.