Edition: U.S. / Global  THEATER; In Westport, 'Merchant of
Venice'  Published: March 14, 1993  Following a no-frills revue
earlier this season, aptly called "No Frills," the Fairfield
County Stage Company in Westport is giving in to no-frills
Shakespeare. It is inaptly called "The Merchant of Venice."  One
understands that Christopher Cull, the director but not the
master of the conceit, was looking to make Shakespeare
"getable," especially to students in the Fairfield County middle
and high schools that are participating in the theater company's
educational outreach program.  He was also looking to make it
affordable, given the economic disadvantage of running a small
nonprofit theater. Mr. Cull, who is also the company's associate
director, even explains his intentions -- "an approach, not an
adaptation" -- from the obligatory nod to the play being the
thing, right down to an apologia, in his program notes, about
line cuts.  Counterproductively, the play, so approached, is not
the thing. Nor is the producti