The 2025 run of Othello as directed by Tom Morris was a brilliant, timeless piece that was able to translate this classic tale into a more modern light, after speaking to my grandparents that had attended the theatre production alongside myself and the students that had watched the cinema proshot of the production that had not read Shakespeare's original work they expressed the ease of following along with and enjoying the story. Toby Jones' portrayal of Iago was able to perfectly encapsulate his motiveless malignity and conniving attitude, within his asides his motives were precisely outlined and his ability to include the audience in his ways of speaking allowed a sense of reality to the story rather than its place being another film production which truly allows the audience to feel a range of emotions throughout the course of the production. Roderigo being used as the comic relief within this tragedy as to reflect the usual jester in Shakespearean tragedies was brilliantly funny and worked as a great contrast to Iago's evil nature.
Caitlin FitzGerald's portrayal of Desdemona created this modern reimagining of the innocent and often one sided character of the book. Her dominating, gregarious personality shone on the stage, this attitude created a new dimension for the character that allowed the audience to pose questions of her true innocence and the sympathy we as the audience feel at her inevitable downfall at the hands of the patriarchy. This extroversion shifted the power dynamics as observed In the book that further leads to our pathos towards her demise, rather in this production the Elizabethan audience would have been horrified at this blatant disruption of the chain of being that would have most certainly left audiences to believe her downfall was of her own doing. However viewing his as a modern day feminist her energy and talkative nature on the stage was a refreshing take to how women are usually presented in Shakespearean tragedies, a notable example being Lady Macbeth within Macbeth. Within these tragedies Women are told to stay in their oppressed place and to not upset the chain of being as to feel an equal to their own husbands and the patriarchy that dominates society. This production took Desdemona's original lines into this modern, more feminist perspective. Emilia's lower class identity that causes her voice to be the more empowered one within the book felt a little bit lost within this production when compared to Desdemona which I found made me question her purpose within this play, she was portrayed more as a woman that is held within the chain of being as commanded by her husband to steal the handkerchief than a woman that is constrained by the chain of being but due to her class is able to criticise her husbands wrongdoings and aim to protect Desdemona from her fate, her speech to Desdemona before her death was powerfully spoke but overall I have to say I thought her acting was questionable.
David Harewood's portrayal of Othello helped to bring to light the depths of feeling Othello goes through within he course of the book. His ability express Othello's emotions so well was absolutely captivating, I truly believed the romance between Othello and Desdemona and the pure rage he felt at the idea of her infidelity, I loved the more physical aspects of this production most notably shown through Othello when he is threatening Iago by putting him in a chokehold, this was such an interesting form of prolepsis to what happens to Desdemona but also added this slight layer of comedy for the audience due to the dramatic irony that Iago does deserve this treatment for the lies he has been spreading.
The use of lighting is not as well presented in the proshot as seeing it in the theatre, in the production they are able to mimic the lighting to the time of day as to convey the minimal time Iago's plan was hatched and executed over as to further convey to the audience Iago's convincing ways that cause the downfall of the characters, I thought it was beautifully done and well thought over. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this production of Othello as it was a lively production that was able to maintain its original themes and sentiments whilst also creating an enjoyable film that doesn't stray too archaic or modern.
The 2025 run of Othello as directed by Tom Morris was a brilliant, timeless piece that was able to translate this classic tale into a more modern light, after speaking to my grandparents that had attended the theatre production alongside myself and the students that had watched the cinema proshot of the production that had not read Shakespeare's original work they expressed the ease of following along with and enjoying the story. Toby Jones' portrayal of Iago was able to perfectly encapsulate his motiveless malignity and conniving attitude, within his asides his motives were precisely outlined and his ability to include the audience in his ways of speaking allowed a sense of reality to the story rather than its place being another film production which truly allows the audience to feel a range of emotions throughout the course of the production. Roderigo being used as the comic relief within this tragedy as to reflect the usual jester in Shakespearean tragedies was brilliantly funny and worked as a great contrast to Iago's evil nature.
Caitlin FitzGerald's portrayal of Desdemona created this modern reimagining of the innocent and often one sided character of the book. Her dominating, gregarious personality shone on the stage, this attitude created a new dimension for the character that allowed the audience to pose questions of her true innocence and the sympathy we as the audience feel at her inevitable downfall at the hands of the patriarchy. This extroversion shifted the power dynamics as observed In the book that further leads to our pathos towards her demise, rather in this production the Elizabethan audience would have been horrified at this blatant disruption of the chain of being that would have most certainly left audiences to believe her downfall was of her own doing. However viewing his as a modern day feminist her energy and talkative nature on the stage was a refreshing take to how women are usually presented in Shakespearean tragedies, a notable example being Lady Macbeth within Macbeth. Within these tragedies Women are told to stay in their oppressed place and to not upset the chain of being as to feel an equal to their own husbands and the patriarchy that dominates society. This production took Desdemona's original lines into this modern, more feminist perspective. Emilia's lower class identity that causes her voice to be the more empowered one within the book felt a little bit lost within this production when compared to Desdemona which I found made me question her purpose within this play, she was portrayed more as a woman that is held within the chain of being as commanded by her husband to steal the handkerchief than a woman that is constrained by the chain of being but due to her class is able to criticise her husbands wrongdoings and aim to protect Desdemona from her fate, her speech to Desdemona before her death was powerfully spoke but overall I have to say I thought her acting was questionable.
David Harewood's portrayal of Othello helped to bring to light the depths of feeling Othello goes through within he course of the book. His ability express Othello's emotions so well was absolutely captivating, I truly believed the romance between Othello and Desdemona and the pure rage he felt at the idea of her infidelity, I loved the more physical aspects of this production most notably shown through Othello when he is threatening Iago by putting him in a chokehold, this was such an interesting form of prolepsis to what happens to Desdemona but also added this slight layer of comedy for the audience due to the dramatic irony that Iago does deserve this treatment for the lies he has been spreading.
The use of lighting is not as well presented in the proshot as seeing it in the theatre, in the production they are able to mimic the lighting to the time of day as to convey the minimal time Iago's plan was hatched and executed over as to further convey to the audience Iago's convincing ways that cause the downfall of the characters, I thought it was beautifully done and well thought over. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this production of Othello as it was a lively production that was able to maintain its original themes and sentiments whilst also creating an enjoyable film that doesn't stray too archaic or modern.
