‘Othello’ review
‘a bold representation of modern ideology’; ‘astonishing marker of modern theatre’
Whenever I think of Shakespeare, I have to remind myself that the man lived and breathed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and I find it incredulous that his works are just as poignant now as they were at their very conception hundreds of years ago; Elysium Theatre Company’s touring production of Othello only heightened my astonishment.
Directed by Jake Murray (assisted by Heather Carroll), this Shakespearean tragedy follows the inner scheming of its villain, Iago, as he devastates the lives of those around him in the name of selfish greed. The play tackles the humanised fear of life and survival, exploring how love can be conquered, but equally used to conquer and ruin. To me, Othello is the absolute pinnacle of Shakespearean verse in its willingness to tackle racist and misogynistic themes head-on, and Murray’s direction truly illuminates these issues, providing an opportune gateway for audience reflection.
As the primary leads of the play, Faz Singhateh (Othello), Danny Soloman (Iago) and Hannah Ellis Ryan (Desdemona) work in intricate harmony to create something that is frankly far from harmonic. It becomes easy to forget that you’re watching a play, for the raw emotion brought out through these performers encases you into their world. Singhateh’s characterisation of the Venetian general was a portrayal I could not expect: the ease with which Singhateh displays the abrupt onset of Othello’s internal vulnerabilities is remarkable and leads to an added empathy towards the protagonist. In combination with Soloman’s terrifyingly erratic depiction of Iago, the two actors create the perfect recipe for disaster that traces Othello’s downfall masterfully. Soloman directs the stage with every appearance, playing as the scheming puppeteer by perfectly orchestrating the deception of the other characters – his performance is not one to miss.
Ellis Ryan puts on a striking performance as Desdemona, emphasising an outwardly feisty side to her character in contrast with what I’d expected. Furthermore, Ellis Ryan’s chemistry with Heather Carroll (Emilia) is unmatched; the strengthened bond between the two women flourishes amongst the chaotic shamble of this primarily male-driven narrative and beautifully illustrates the worthiness of compassion amidst a storm of fury. Carroll’s externally submissive portrayal of Emilia plays directly onto the rage embedded in her mind and, particularly in the play’s final scene, Carroll stuns the audience with her vigour and passion as a performer.
Likewise, Alexander Townson puts on a sensational performance as Cassio that, without saying, goes unmatched. His facial expressions are rendered from every corner of the theatre, the true mark of a fantastic performer. Jamie Brown plays well into Roderigo’s naivety, making his scenes with Soloman stand out amongst the rest; as a duo, Brown and Soloman craft their sequences into marvels that somehow exceed theatrical performance, making for an astounding feat. Brabantio (Robin Kingsland) shines as comedically pathetic and heightens the absurdity of the show’s themes to the modern eye. Luce Walker (Bianca) and Stewart Dylan-Campell (Montano) flourish in their respective roles and are easily the necessary elements that make up this distinguished production.
Designed by Lee Ward & Caitlin Mills, the set perfectly reinforces the Venetian setting. Although this is consistent throughout, no changes are made to the set except for additional props, perhaps detracting from the immersion of the more serious moments. Despite this, the performers utilise the space on stage beautifully, a testament to Heather Carroll’s thorough understanding of character positioning on stage as the production’s movement director. The costume design replicates exactly what we would see today, operating alongside the Old English used in Shakespeare’s works to create an interesting conjunction, making the production far more applicable to the society we now surround ourselves with. The performers notably use their own accents and still produce their lines with such ease, leading the audience to a concrete flow of understanding of the play’s events as they happen. The symbolic usage of props is also incredibly prominent, particularly that of the handkerchief used as a crucial device to mark the downfall of Othello.
This production of Othello stands as a bold representation of modern ideology, and the issues conveyed by Shakespeare that persist to this day. It is a merit to Murray’s direction that the cast and production team so masterfully weave the tapestry that formulates this astonishing marker of modern theatre. It paves the way for what has to be done, and what can be done, to take full advantage of theatre as the art form it is, and to create new opportunities for clear and new voices, as this production has done so wonderfully. Even after hundreds of years, Shakespeare definitely won’t be going away any time soon, so take this opportunity to see this particular production while you can!
By Arthur Hamilton.
Othello is running at the Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre until the 19th October.