Rosie Patterson
(1 Reviews)

Beware my lord of jealousy! Tis that you may be jealous you have not caught Othello at HOME Theatre. One of Shakespeare’s classic tragedies is brilliantly brought to life once again. Having studied it at A Level, Othello has been a favourite text of mine. Despite being written over 400 years ago, I am always enthralled by each production I see of this play. However, I must admit that HOME theatre’s production has been one of the best I have seen yet. Compared to the original play, this version of Othello takes a place in a modern society. Set in the Falklands War in the 1980’s, Othello follows army general Othello, a praised man of noble status and has just married the loyal and loving Desdemona. However, his love for her is tested and twisted as he is manipulated by his ensign Iago. Envious he has not received a promotion to Lieutenant, Iago plots to ruin Othello’s idillic life, by spreading rumours about his wife’s fidelity. What follows is classic Shakespeare, a tale of anger, love, lies, and paranoia.

Dwane Walcott (Believe Me, A Town Called Malice, Our Girl) delivers a striking performance as Othello. An emotional performance, as the audience sees a progression from a loving husband and admired army general, to a character so paranoid, it created a tense atmosphere that both the characters and the audience could feel. Phoebe Smyth (Frayed) plays the forever loyal and innocent Desdemona. She plays an astounding version of the character. Through her performance, Desdemona is initially a playful and loving character. As Othello grows more paranoid and violent, she slowly becomes hesitant and fearful. Maanuv Thiara (Line of Duty, Trigger Point, Ted Lasso) is the villain, Iago. A character that is so desperate to ruin Othello’s life, he will find anyway to justify his actions. His character was enthralling to watch, as he cleverly played Iago’s façade. The man that every character knows as honest and knowledgeable Iago, however, the audience knows he is of no honesty. Matthieu Sys (Ben X, Hidden Assets, 13 Commandments) is Iago’s sidekick, Roderigo. He too plays a desperate character, but for a different reason. He is in love with Desdemona, and he finds himself also manipulated by Iago. A character that will do anything if it means eventually interacting with Desdemona. However, for Iago, Roderigo is nothing but a chess piece, and Matthieu Sys does an excellent job demonstrating this. Rebecca Banatvala (Vigil, Eastenders, Emmerdale) is Emilia, Desdemona’s attendant and Iago’s wife. She portrays a wife that is originally subservient to her husband, following his orders if it means getting his attention. Her subservient nature us lost as she defends Desdemona, which has disastrous consequences.

The impressive element does not end there. The set, designed by Natasha Jenkins, was stunning in how it contributed to the story, despite its simplicity. Throughout the beginning, the set was simple, yet effective. It appeared like an army camp, with one singular wall, but as the characters headed to the Falklands, this wall collapsed to become a platform. This was astounding, as what was originally a camp was transformed into something like a cage, as the tense atmosphere heightened. I must also credit the sound, designed and composed by Matthew Tuckey. A soundtrack that sounded like a heartbeat, then gunshots, added to the eerie atmosphere. Through the play’s bleakest moments, there was a complete lack of sound, apart from a simple, buzzing-like sound. As an audience member, it felt as if you were in the room with them. The lighting, designed by Jack Hathaway, contributed greatly to the fearful atmosphere. In one scene, it was a simple light, as if coming from a window, that shone on just Iago as he addresses the audience, eliciting the feeling that he is addressing you, as if you are in on his plot. Overall, director Anthony Almeida puts an excellent modern spin on the story, as well as a sense of realism. All of these elements contributed to the progression of the story greatly, from the absence of sound, to the simple yet effectiveness of the set.

One significant element of the play, that I certainly was not expecting, was the use of live recording. Roderigo brings on a camera, which records the characters live as they deliver their lines, and projects it onto the screen behind the set. This added to the emotions of the story, one such example being an interaction between Desdemona and Othello. From the audience, it appears as just an argument, however with the camera, we saw Desdemona up close, which felt deeply personal, as the camera captured a single tear, which I would never have seen in the audience. This let the audience know the characters on an emotional level, letting us understand their pain a little deeper. This play did have their elements of fun too, as the audience was treated to an impromptu singalong to classic Come on Eileen. We were encouraged to sing along, as if we were partying along with the characters. This production of Othello had multiple additional elements I was astounded by, which further added to the personal nature of the story.

I know that when people walk into a production of Shakespeare, they expect it to be boring, with a storyline difficult to understand. However, HOME certainly tests this notion. We were presented with relatable characters, humorous elements and a story that is not to be missed. This production proves that the writing of William Shakespeare still lives on, through modern retellings and interpretations. With twists, revelations and unexpected moments, Othello ensures to pull you in, but not let go.

WE SCORE OTHELLO...