Since William Shakespeare’s Othello was first carried out in 1604 it has constructed up a fame from the theatrical greats who’ve performed the leads over time. Paul Hart’s manufacturing boldly reimagines the story by including fashionable music to attract out the feelings and themes, casts the scheming Iago as a lady and units the entire play in a contemporary navy base in Cyprus. It creates a vibrant exploration of its themes of home violence and the clawing want for energy and management. Each of the lead characters must painting each the exterior presentation of their place but additionally their internal selves so the play is much less about race and extra about primary human nature and want.
Sophie Stone, a founding father of the deaf and listening to ensemble theatre firm, dominates the stage because the scheming antagonist of the piece, Iago adapting her fashion to every encounter to create most affect over the manipulable persona she meets. From her loutish ensnaring of Rodrigo (Ediz Mahmut) to her seductive controlling of Emilia (Chioma Uma) and deceptive steerage of Cassio (Yazdan Qafouri) she slowly and successfully attracts the web round Othello with an obsequiousness feigned loyalty. As she says “I hate the moor” however solely we will see this as her plotting evolves. We obsequiousness don’t want to listen to Billie Ellish’s “Bad Guy” to know that her villainy is on the coronary heart of this story.
Othello, performed by Kalungi Ssebandeke is not any match for her plotting and is at his greatest within the highly effective scenes that shut every act as his jealousy and murderous intent bubble to the floor with depth and nice physicality. Opposite him, Desdemona (Molly Chesworth) appears subdued and barely aloof, and we by no means actually really feel her beguiled ardour for him however see a moderately timid and nervous lady. Only in her ultimate overwhelming scene as she lets her hair down whereas ready for his arrival does she lastly reveal her harmless love for him making the stunning smothering of her in her mattress all of the extra highly effective.There is great assist from Augustina Seymour as Desdemona’s emotional mom Brabanzia and Benedict Salter because the authority figures of The Duke of Venice and Lodovico. Both converse the strains with a transparent highly effective voice that establishes a central theme of the battle between private lives {and professional} responsibility. The readability is in distinction to some others who rush their strains or converse with out variation of tempo or stage.
The Co-Directors Paul Hart and Anjali Mehra have executed an excellent job in updating the story with Karia Marie Sweet’s adaption integrating the Watermill’s stock-in-trade technic of actor-musicians elegantly, protecting the motion flowing easily and utilizing the assorted ranges and entrances properly within the storytelling. The musicians are usually stored to the wings (though often distract as they take up their positions forward of the scenes) however the alternative of songs and the way in which they’re fitted into the narrative could be very profitable particularly within the songs “Dream a little dream”, “Jealous” and “Killing me softly” giving the manufacturing its fashionable up to date really feel and reinventing the narrative. There have been hints of BSL signing in a number of the choreography and this might need been developed extra as a pure addition to the updating of the present.
The set design by Ceci Calf virtually resonates with the TV sport present The Cube as the important thing scenes unfold inside and cleverly use sliding corrugated iron panels and black nets in addition to spinning slowly to set the inside scenes. Although it takes up a big portion of the intimate Watermill stage and often cramps the forestage house it’s a very efficient machine and with glorious lighting by Ali Hunter units the situation and temper for every scene properly. The costumes have been easy, evocative of the navy fashion of current conflicts and primarily in black and white tones with a touch of sparkles and color throughout “Mr Brightside”.In sharp distinction to the RSC’s current reimaging of All’s Well That Ends Well, the Watermill has splendidly reinvented this Shakespearean tragedy breaking with pre-perceptions and conventions to provide the narrative a contemporary really feel, focusing not on the human attribute of affection and the need for energy that drive behaviours. Iago’s villainous entrapment and manipulation of all she meets and Othello’s destruction from admired commander to damaged man trace on the undermining of authority by media faux information and the destruction of society that outcomes. It offers an excellent updating of Shakespeare’s four-hundred-year-old phrases and an partaking retelling of this intimate and emotional narrative.
Review by Nick Wayne
Rating: ★★★★
Seat: Stalls, Row E | Price of Ticket: £35