As always when I talk about Shakespeare's Othello, I recall the first performance I ever saw, a 1980 Royal Shakespeare Company production at London's Aldwych Theatre, with the late Sir Donald Sinden dressed in black as Shakespeare's moor. (Sinden's slow, deliberate pronunciation of "Des-daaay-muu-naaa" still resonates with me 45 years later.) Thankfully, since the 1980s, it has become the norm for Black actors to play Othello, although at least initially they were overwhelmingly the only non-white figure in an all-white cast.
While not ideal in 2026, this would underscore the play's racism (at least in the early scenes) and Othello's growing isolation once this is set aside, and it is doubts about Desdemona's infidelity that completely unsettle him, leading to tragedy. There would have been ethnic diversity in late 16th-century Venice, and this was reflected in Tom Morris's cast for his production, which featured modern costumes. David Harewood returned to the role of Othello—he was the first Black actor to play the role at the National Theatre in 1997—and he was no longer the only non-white figure on stage.
Director: Tom Morris
Writer: William Shakespeare
Stars: David Harewood, Toby Jones, Caitlin FitzGerald
Harewood told BBC Radio: "It's a very, very modern play. This play deals with pure human emotions and features extremely modern female characters like Emilia and Desdemona, and what they have to do and say, and the love and the story are magnetic... Almost everyone knows the ending, but how you get there, I think what our wonderful director, Tom Morris, mentioned is quite extraordinary, because you get on a roller coaster of jealousy, betrayal, lies, and poison, and you see the destruction of something beautiful, and it's heartbreaking."
Ti Green's stage is usually dark—not that Rich Howell's lighting doesn't have its moments, such as when Othello's epilepsy strikes like lightning—and is generally empty, save for a bench and, of course, the all-important bed. There are perhaps hints of the Doge's Palace in Venice in the gilded frames and Venetian columns, but when the action moves to Cyprus, there's a transparent screen at the back that allows entrances from the front, back, and through it, as well as some atmospheric video projections. It reaches its peak impact at the end, when we poignantly see the faces of the sacrificial victims, Desdemona and Emilia, turning blood red as Othello shoots himself. The most dramatic moments were frequently heightened by P.J. Harvey's music, which is a bit drawn out and sometimes intrusive, while at other times less so. The costumes are eclectic: for example, Othello wears a blue or white general's uniform, Desdemona usually wears green or red, Iago, with his red beret, wears a military uniform throughout the play, and the senators wear red robes.
Harewood commented in his interview that "there was a lot of laughter from the audience... and it was awkward, anxious laughter, and people felt very guilty, but it was a truly extraordinary experience to live through that and hear that laughter, because at first it was very uncomfortable, but it contributed to an extraordinary evening at the theater, very lively, so I hope it will be replicated in the film." It is an extraordinary surprise to hear the audience laugh so much during Othello. I wasn't sure it was always appropriate and might say more about modern theater audiences than about what they saw and heard. Granted, perhaps the more often Iago is called "honest," because his intrigues can seem increasingly comical at times, but much of the rest is not laughable, unless I'm missing something. Please let me know if this is the case.
It's hard to separate Toby Jones's "Little Big Man" Yago from his portrayal of Captain Mainwaring in the 2016 film, Dad's Army. His motivation is unclear: is it because he was passed over for a promotion? He's married to Vinette Robinson, played by Emilia, though it's unclear what she sees in him, so it's not racism, even though he does spit out "Moorship" while feigning respect. Perhaps he's just a heartless villain like in any Christmas pantomime, and perhaps that familiarity will elicit a few chuckles from some viewers.
Jones doesn't completely dominate this Othello, though he clearly has the majority of the dialogue, due to his impressive cast of actors who bring Morris's simple production to life, many of them having their own stunning moments, often quite literally, under the spotlight. This includes Tom Byrne as the innocent Rodrigo and Luke Treadaway as the equally naive Cassio. Vinette Robinson is a spirited Emilia, but with that strength comes the observation that it was within Emilia's power to prevent her own death and that of the others—just as it was within Othello's power to ask Desdemona what was happening to Cassio, if anything, and to believe her answer!
It is Emilia who initially retrieves the deus ex machina handkerchief and knows that Iago gave it to her, but she remains silent for too long. Emilia and Desdemona then lament the misogyny of their existence to remind us that Othello is as much about gender as it is about race. Too late, Emilia finally decides to confront her husband and dies at his hands, with Robinson's performance among the best in the entire play. Harewood, with a captivating stage presence, is at the beginning of the play a proud and noble Othello, his voice rather soft, yet his words laden with meaning.
His imposing physique seems to shrink under Iago's onslaught, and by the end, it is almost impossible not to feel sorry for him despite his actions. Caitlin Fitzgerald's long-limbed Desdemona (with an Irish-American accent, possibly like her own father's) was remarkably self-taught and a modern interpretation of the character. Fitzgerald brings a steely determination to what would normally be more subdued dialogue, and her passion for Othello is palpable.
It is perfectly understandable that Desdemona repeatedly pleads, just as Iago hopes, for the reinstatement of Cassio, who has fallen from grace, since, to Othello's utter dismay and confusion, he believes them to be lovers. In this talented cast, the vivacious Bianca, played by Rose Riley, also shines, and along with Emilia and Desdemona, these three women are the true heroines of this Othello.
Subtly directed by Tim Van Someran, Tom Morris's Othello is a cinematic experience that would be a shame to miss if you haven't seen it in theaters, and now you can enjoy it closer to home.
Comments
Post a Comment