Othello review: Mellow Othello plays down the lust, rage and domestic violence

As a theater enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of drama, I must say that I was thoroughly captivated by the productions at The Yard Theatre in Hackney. The Flea, in particular, left me spellbound with its intriguing blend of historical gossip and contemporary relevance.

Othello (Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon)

Verdict: Moor is less

You don’t need to be all woke to find Shakespeare’s Othello uncomfortable to watch. After all, this is a play that climaxes in what can only be described as an honour killing — when the titular hero murders his adoring young bride, Desdemona.

Despite the fact that Othello may have been deceived into feeling jealous, it remains challenging to endorse his assertion that his actions are noble.

Interestingly, it appears that Tim Carroll’s latest production for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford seems intent on minimizing this unsettling aspect.

In this reinterpretation, John Douglas Thompson takes on the role of the esteemed General, while Juliet Rylance embodies Desdemona and Will Keen portrays the cunning soldier Iago who manipulates Othello. Carroll transforms the play into a grand, solemn procession.

The brutality is kept at arm’s length by presenting it in what the programme calls a ‘mindscape’. 

From this scene, it seems clear that we’re immersed in some kind of dreamlike reality. The ambiance is faintly ethereal due to the hushed, melodious chanting, the costumes meticulously designed to resemble 16th-century Venice, and the absence of any furniture whatsoever.

And yet, however tasteful and elegant Judith Bowden’s design makes the play look, and however much Carroll’s production emphasises its nervy, dark interiority, the bitter, misogynistic kernel won’t go away.

In this rendition, Thompson imbues the Moor of Venice, a character he reprised on Broadway in 2009 and once more alongside Rylance as Desdemona, with an impressive air of dignity. This Othello is portrayed as a 60-year-old soldier who carries a John Wayne-like stride, suggesting that the memory of his battle-hardened steed still resonates within him.

Rather than being overtly scary with loud outbursts, his anger is quiet and contained. It appears that envy has drained him of vitality, rather than pushing him to insanity. In this large auditorium seating a thousand people, he requires a brighter spotlight.

In the casting of Rylance, Desdemona, at 45 years old, aligns with Carroll’s unconventional choice of mature characters. Despite her radiant appearance, she deviates significantly from the typical portrayal of a naive, wide-eyed young woman who is incredulous about the intentions of some men towards women.

However, the most mysterious and puzzling twist is that of the 54-year-old character, much like Othello’s cunning and seemingly loyal lieutenant Iago. He manipulates his superior into a destructive rage, apparently for no other reason than mischief.

It’s uncertain how deeply Keen’s portrayal of Iago truly revels in his villainy. At times, it seems as if he’s engaging in soliloquies, and his nefarious schemes almost come to a standstill. His performance, much like the entire production, is characterized by a restrained, introspective, and thoughtful demeanor.

Additionally, like the rest of the play, his speech is clear, deliberate, and logical. However, this clarity serves to conceal the whirlwind of passion, anger, and horrific domestic abuse that both shapes and damages this production.

A Raisin In The Sun (Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith and touring)

Verdict: Bittersweet Raisin

Who wouldn’t be touched by Lorraine Hansberry’s impassioned plea for equal rights in 1940s Chicago, as portrayed in A Raisin In The Sun? This play, which she wrote semi-autobiographically, was groundbreaking as it made her the first black woman to have a play on Broadway. It tells the story of her family’s challenges as they faced racism when moving into a predominantly white neighborhood.

In a fictional setting, Lena (played by Doreene Blackstock) serves as the strong matriarch of her family, having fled the brutal consequences of post-slavery life in the southern regions.

After her laborer husband passed away, they will now receive $10,000 – an amount that offers life-altering possibilities for everyone involved.

Frustrated chauffeur son Walter (Solomon Israel) wants to open a liquor store. His wife Ruth (Cash Holland) sees the money as her chance to escape their cockroach-infested home. And Walter’s activist sister Beneatha (Joséphine-Fransilja Brookman) wants to study medicine at college.

As a devoted admirer, I can express that Tinuke Craig’s masterful work skillfully channels our deepest desires and poignantly strikes the heartstrings of the play by depicting a scenario where a newcomer from the neighborhood, a white man, attempts to hinder us from settling in.

In my professional opinion, Craig could benefit from a more structured approach when sharing household tips, and I strongly feel that she should have given more weight to Beneatha’s vibrant spirit rather than portraying her as a carefree amateur.

As a devoted admirer, I found that Cecile Trémolières’ ingenious stage designs constructed our home from delicate, translucent gauze. Not only did this evoke a haunting ambiance reminiscent of past times, but it also subtly hinted at the potential for metamorphosis.

Everything about the situation stirs up a deep sense of emotion, causing the heart to expand with compassion, as they strive to defend their political, economic, and fundamental human rights as a family.

Othello will be staged through November 23, while A Raisin in the Sun will be on at the Lyric Theatre up until November 2. After that, it will move to the Nottingham Playhouse from November 5 to November 16.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank (Marylebone Theatre, London)

Verdict: Race drama hits home

This isn’t the story of Anne Frank, hidden in 1942 Amsterdam, murdered in the Holocaust, immortalised in her teenage diary. 

This lively, loquacious, intellectually stimulating play is inhabited by her, yet it depicts two sets of Jewish couples who, despite sharing the same cultural background, find themselves worlds apart in all aspects.

In Florida reside Phil and Debbie, who are wealthy and non-religious, while Yerucham and Shoshana (formerly known as them), now ultra-Orthodox, dwell in Jerusalem. They are currently visiting Yerucham’s father, a survivor of the Holocaust. The two women were college companions, but Phil feels apprehensive towards the traditionalist Yerucham.

A succession of moments – some uncomfortable, others heartwarming, laugh-out-loud funny, startling, or enraging – unveil contrasting perspectives on themes such as family, matrimony, ethics, faith, politics, and a millennium’s worth of Middle Eastern background.

Joshua Malina’s character, Phil, feels frustrated over the rule prohibiting him from physically interacting with Shoshana (Dorothea Myer-Bennett), and finds himself secretly drawn to her large wig, which she wears for religious purposes. Debbie (Caroline Catz) dislikes Phil’s aggressive secular opinions and is troubled by Yerucham (Simon Yadoo) joking about the Holocaust, as he believes that divine intervention will ultimately resolve everything.

A profound, stunned anger arises when it becomes evident that the American pair believes the Israeli couple aren’t truly Jewish.

Debbie and Phil’s son Trevor, who is named Gabriel Howell, takes on everyone in a manner that suggests a skeptical teenage attitude. He introduces each scene with an eye-roll and criticizes their comfortable materialism harshly at the end of the first half. Furthermore, he lambasts the ten thousand years of religious traditions and rituals among the Israelis as being wasted.

Patrick Marber collaborated with author Nathan Englander to revise the original work, modernizing it to include fierce debates concerning the contemporary conflict.

Initially, I had concerns that the story might lose momentum as characters resort to using cannabis to calm down, but surprisingly, it regains intensity and presents a unique twist called the “Anne Frank Game”: a thought-provoking exploration of who among us would or wouldn’t help others in peril.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but marvel at this brutal game that seems almost alien to us non-native creators. Yet, it manages to tap into emotions so primal and universal that regardless of the era, race, or belief system, it resonates profoundly with everyone who encounters it.

The Flea (The Yard Theatre, Hackney Wick)

Verdict: Hot historical gossip

The Yard in Hackney is a micro-theatre that’s been punching above its weight since 2011. 

The Flea marks the return of a fascinating piece of historical gossip about a homosexual brothel, or ‘Molly house’, in Victorian London that triggered the real-life Cleveland Street scandal of 1889. 

It was reported that some notable individuals among the attendees were Prince Albert Victor, who would later become King Edward VII, as he held the title of the Prince of Wales’s eldest son at the time.

As a devoted admirer, I found myself drawn to the captivating tale that author James Fritz has grasped with fervor, weaving a narrative reminiscent of Dickens’ style. In this semi-Dickensian yarn, I find myself delving into the life of a young man named Charlie, who, due to his family’s financial hardships, ventures to Cleveland Street in search of work. His primary motivation is to support his grieving mother and alleviate their shared burden of poverty.

He soon comes under investigation from Inspector Frederick Abberline – the real-life plod with a point to prove having failed to arrest Jack the Ripper. His probe leads him to the summit of Victorian society – only to meet an institutional cover-up.

Thanks to Naomi Kuyck-Cohen’s dollhouse set, director Jay Miller’s production bears a resemblance to the exaggerated style of paintings by German expressionist artist George Grosz.

Reimagined and refurbished furniture showcases items like a staircase-shaped filing cabinet, precarious stools perched high on slender legs, and vibrant walls adorned with plush purple carpets.

Purposefully vintage-style outfits are reimagined to align with ‘queer fashion sensibilities’, such as adding frilled sleeves on police uniforms, in a manner that suggests they are being appropriated and made relevant for contemporary audiences, effectively reclaiming and making the story feel applicable to our current times.

Despite some rough edges in the acting, there’s a certain innocence that adds to the appeal, such as Tomas Azocar-Nevin’s portrayal of a youthful Charlie reminiscent of Rowan Atkinson.

However, the most captivating moment occurs during the latter part when Queen Victoria (Breffni Holahan) has an extraordinary conversation with God (Will Bliss). He reassures her that if she makes the right decisions, she will be honored by some of the nation’s top actors portraying her in The Crown on television.

The result is cheerful historical travesty and good theatrical fun.

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2024-10-25 02:35