David Harewood is branded ‘captivating’ as Toby Jones is hailed for a ‘stellar performance’ as ‘gleefully malicious Iago’ as Othello returns to the West End stage with a starry cast

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David Harewood has been a familiar face on television for years, and is now receiving praise for his powerful return to the stage, once again playing the famous Shakespearean character, Othello.

I was absolutely thrilled to see Damian Lewis, who I’ve always admired, back on stage! He was incredible, and the cast around him was just as amazing. Toby Jones, who I recently loved in ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’, played the villain opposite Damian at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, and their dynamic was captivating.

This isn’t the first time David has played this role; he made history in 1997 as the first Black actor to perform it at the National Theatre.

The actor experienced a psychotic break when he was 23, and some critics believe he used that personal experience to portray Othello’s transformation – from a calm demeanor to a jealous rage culminating in violence and insanity.

Oh my gosh, David and Toby were absolutely incredible! Everyone’s saying their performance was just stellar – seriously, stellar! David was completely captivating, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. And Toby? He played Iago with such gleeful malice, it was honestly perfect. He became Iago, you know? I’m obsessed!

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following this production closely, and it’s truly remarkable. What’s particularly powerful is how the director, Tony Award-winner Tom Morris, has guided the actresses to really highlight the pervasive sexism of the era. They don’t just portray characters; they bring that historical struggle to life in a way that’s both moving and thought-provoking.

Caitlin FitzGerald, a well-known actress, stars as Desdemona in the production. Award-winning actress Vinette Robinson plays Desdemona’s maid, Emilia.

Shakespeare’s play tells the story of Othello, a well-respected general from North Africa serving in the Venetian army. He’s tricked by the jealous Iago into believing his wife, Desdemona, is having an affair, leading to tragic consequences. It’s a story that blends humor with heartbreak.

This causes Othello to become overwhelmed with jealousy and anger, ultimately leading him to kill Desdemona and then take his own life when he learns the truth.

The play received a lot of reviews, but opinions are divided, with most ratings being either three or four stars.

In a four-star review, Daily Mail critic Patrick Marmion noted that Harewood draws on his personal experiences with psychosis to portray Othello’s descent from a confident man into a jealous, unstable character driven to murder.

‘Until you’ve seen him on stage, you can’t appreciate what a class act he really is,’ he added. 

Dominic Cavendish, theatre critic for The Telegraph, gave the play a four-star review, highlighting the actors’ excellent performances. He specifically noted Toby Jones’s wonderfully wicked portrayal of Iago.

The performances are what truly make the show work. We can skip the elaborate lighting, large projections, and unusual costumes. With actors this good, simplicity is key – a more minimalist approach actually enhances the experience.

In a review for the Guardian, Arifa Akbar praised Harewood’s portrayal of Othello, noting that he commanded attention through his powerful physical presence and regal bearing. She highlighted his subtle expressions – the sniffs, smirks, and nervous tics – that foreshadowed his explosive and tragic outburst of rage.

Othello is incredibly charming, and his story of first meeting Desdemona completely holds everyone – and the audience – spellbound. He effortlessly wins them over with his words.

She complimented Toby and Caitlin on their acting, but explained her three-star rating was due to the show’s direction. She felt it moved quickly but didn’t explore the play’s themes in depth or connect them to current political issues and dishonesty.

Clive Davis of The Times particularly praised the female performances in the play. He found Caitlin’s Desdemona captivating and highlighted Vinette’s strong West End debut as an Emilia who confidently challenges her partner.

Even critics who were initially unsure have been impressed with Caitlin’s performance, describing it as both powerful and emotionally nuanced.

As a lifestyle commentator, I’ve been following the critical response to this production, and Alice Saville from The Independent highlighted a really interesting dynamic. She felt David truly shone, bringing a wonderful warmth and dignity to his role. However, she wasn’t entirely convinced by the connection between Desdemona and Othello – she didn’t quite feel their relationship fully resonated on stage.

Their connection feels flat – it’s hard to believe this confident Desdemona is truly captivated by Othello in a passionate way.

The production would benefit from more beautiful and unsettling moments to truly show how the evil within it slowly takes hold.

It’s an enjoyable adaptation of Shakespeare’s tale, but doesn’t quite convince you of the main character’s cunning and deceit.

Andrzej Lukowski from TimeOut London gave the performance three stars, praising Toby as a very engaging Iago. He described Toby’s portrayal as straightforward, relatable, and humorous.

Sara Crompton from What’sOnStage harshly criticized the play, giving it only two stars. She described it as destined to fail, particularly due to the American actress cast and a shallowly portrayed villain in the role of Iago.

The main issue with the performance is that each actor appears to be performing a completely different interpretation of the same Shakespearean play. For example, the character Harewood is portrayed as a noble warrior brought down by his own weaknesses.

Toby Jones portrays Iago, Othello’s enemy, as a rather typical, purely evil medieval villain. Interestingly, Caitlin Fitzgerald, who plays Desdemona, is an American actress.

‘Every side of this doomed triangle feels as if it is pulling in a different direction.’

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2025-11-05 14:09