A Riveting and Relevant Reimagining of Othello
Starring Wendell Pierce and Directed by Simon Godwin at STC’s Harman Hall
Iago to Othello, “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.”
A modern reimagining of Shakespeare’s Othello by Director Simon Godwin puts us smack dab in contemporary bro culture with camo-clad soldiers hell bent on waging war and throwing shade on women. We watch helpless as Iago, the duplicitous deceiver and his bosom buddy Rodrigo, cook up an intricate plot to bring down their general Othello, the Moor and former slave. Unbeknownst to the hapless Rodrigo, the lieutenant Cassio and his paramour Bianca, they are all being set up by Iago. In fact, no one is spared in Iago’s quest to discredit Othello as he uses both the women and the men in his murderous quest.
Leaning into today’s incel zeitgeist, Iago conscripts these chest-thumping cluster of jarheads to do his bidding as he manipulates Othello with outright lies and flattery convincing the general that his beloved wife Desdemona is cheating on him. A purloined ladies’ handkerchief is all it takes to consummate Iago’s power grab – setting up Othello’s jealous rage and murder of his beloved, and truly chaste bride.
The length and breadth of who, what and how Iago subverts to undermine his superior is incontestably Machiavellian. Plots and subplots undermine friendships and question marital devotion until we are left to wonder why the hell Iago’s wife Emilia won’t spill the beans about her husband Iago’s nefarious plot and tell Desdemona the truth before the horrific slaughter of the two women.
Wendell Pierce was made to play this role. His character portrayals in edgy dramas have proven undeniably riveting – Death of a Salesman, Treme, The Wire, Clybourne Park and so many more power roles in film, TV and onstage. His performance here is the glue that cements the entire cast.
Heavy metal music ushers in many of the scenes and the soundscape of armies at war creates the modern military ethos. Paired with Godwin’s crisp staging, it contributes to the overall effect, and I couldn’t help but reflect on aspects of our current state of political drama – its subterfuge, hegemony and flouting of established law to achieve power and control. Oh, Iago, how clearly we see you and your victims in our daily news feed.
Godwin loves to paint scenes with ghastly amounts of gore and, if you’re a fan of crime drama whose fascination by the American public is just as popular today as it was to the audiences of classic playwrights, you won’t want to miss a beat in this reimagining of the classic tale.
Relevant and riveting.
Starring Wendell Pierce as Othello with Ben Turner as Iago; Olivia Cygan as Desdemona; Lucas Iverson as, Cassio; Daniel Velez as Roderigo; Giovanna Drummond as Bianca; Melanie Field as Emilia; Todd Scofield as Duke of Venice; Derek Garza as Montano/Senator Romano; Joey Collins as Brabantio/Salarino.
Ensemble: Jon Beal, C. J. Craig, Sofia Hernandez Morales, Claire Hilton, Anna Marzullo, Vish Shukla, Cole Sitilides, James Whelan and Em Whitworth.
Scenic & Co-Costume Design by Susan Hilferty with Co-Costume Designer Sarita P. Fellows; Lighting Design by Amith A. Chandrashaker; Sound Design by Christopher Shutt; Composer Shiloh Coke; Fight Choreographer Robb Hunter; Fight Captain Jon Beal; and Dramaturg Drew Lichtenberg.
Through June 28th at Harman Hall, 610 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004. For tickets and information call the box office at 202.547.1122 or visit www.ShakespeareTheatre.org.
