David Oyelowo and Daniel Craig (photo: Chad Batka)
Daring and deliberately
unconventional interpretations of the Bard’s great tragedy about power and
jealousy abound as they do with almost all the play’s in the canon. “Othello” has
been envisioned again with an emphasis on the action taking place in its own graphically
conceptualized and realistically militarized time, as well as being dutifully respectful
to the classic text. In the hands of director Sam Gold (“Fun Home”) for the New
York Theatre Workshop, it becomes the
most extraordinary and chilling production of Shakespeare’s tragic play I have
ever seen.
That the story’s psychosexual
subtext remains its most interesting aspect gives a creative director and his splendid
cast plenty of opportunity to dig beneath all the obligatory sound and fury. Othello
may not be able to completely escape his origins as the Moor of Venice, but the
now un-moored (no pun intended) Army General we see in combat fatigues is played
by a brilliantly intense David Oyelowo. He is still waging war with Turkey and
in charge of a diverse multi-cultural squad of tough well-armed soldiers, including that weasel
and second-in-command Iago. He is played with steely eyed conviction by a terrific
Daniel Craig.
The evocative setting created
designer Andrew Lieberman has the audience seated on bleachers (fairly
comfortable) with backs that surround three-sides of the playing area. Flat army
cots in rows are moved about on a plain wooden floor and pulled out of view for
different scenes, as is all the equipment and the gear that fill the barracks.
We are thrust into a world in
which the characters whom we know traditionally are now seen in the light of
modern warfare and even politics. As it has always been, it is the sexual
politics that are at the forefront of this Othello.
Although Shakespeare doesn’t dwell on or insinuate more than meets our eyes and
ears in the various relationships, all revolving around Othello’s wife Desdemona’s
innocence or lack of, we can always speculate in this case given the depth and
the degree of nuance in the performances by both Oyelowo and Craig.
Of all Shakespeare’s
tragedies, Othello is the one that I have
always found to be the most exasperating. Of course, it is to the play’s credit
that it can rile one up time after time. It used to be that seeing this almost
melodramatic dramatic trine catapulted to their doom for no more good reason
than a misplaced handkerchief would make me want to yell out to Othello, “You
stupid fool.”
Although performed with passion
run amok Oyelowo, Othello still too easily succumbs to that “green-eyed
monster.” A victim of political and amorous intrigue, Othello is also notably
burdened by his concealed securities not to mention his epileptic fits. That is
enough baggage for any actor. Oyelowo, however, does very well by this given Othello’s
tendency to rant and to rage, blinded as much by his sudden success and power
as he is by the machinations of Iago, his ensign and closest friend.
Mainly known as a film star rugged-looking
Craig has given laudable performances on Broadway in “Betrayal” and “A Steady
Rain.” In this his NYTW debut, he is spell-binding and invests the devious, duplicitous
Iago with a steadfastly articulate voice and a stealthily Machiavellian
swagger. Being more down-to-earth than demure, Rachel Brosnahan (NYTW debut) is
not your typical Desdemona but she earns our empathy with her heartbreaking pleas.
Finn Wittrock is virile and
charismatic as the duped Lieutenant Cassio. Matthew Maher makes a strong
impression as the misguided, always lurking-in-the-shadows Roderigo. There are
fine performances by the two other two principal women Marsha Stephanie Blake, as
Iago’s wife and Nikki Massoud, as Cassio’s mistress.
The lighting design by Jane
Cox and sound design by Bray Poor are as dramatically exciting as are the performances. Three hours and ten
minutes have never gone by so swiftly and so thrillingly.
“Othello” (through January 18,
2017)
New York Theatre Workshop, 79
E. 4th Street
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