OTHELLO till 3 April
OTHELLO: William Shakespeare
RSC: Swan, Stratford: Tkts 0870 609 1110
Runs: 3h 20m, one interval, till 3 April
Transfers to Trafalgar Studios (ex-Whitehall Theatre) 26 May-17 July 2004
Tickets: 0870 060 6632 (London)
Review: Rod Dungate, 18 February 2004
Magnificent, intelligent, asks many difficult questions: a highly talented team
I'll come straight to the point: this is a magnificent production of a very difficult and uncomfortable play. Magnificent in many ways one of which is that the difficulties don't go away, they are clearly left to confront us in Gregory Doran's detailed and thoughtful production; this is uncomfortable for us.
In Doran's clear production, the overt racism of the opening slaps us brutally round the face. Then a more discomforting racism: the black man is a noble warrior strong, powerful, muscular. Worse he's not too bright, falling for Iago's lies: he's given to fits of jealousy and eventually murders his wife. Othello is a victim of the play's society's racism; he is also a victim of the play's stereotyping racism.
I suspect we could all be comfortable with this neat conclusion (Ah things were different when it was written). But play's aren't neat because they're acted. And the truth is that this Othello, in Maake ka-Ncube's performance, is noble, strong, powerful, muscular; his South African accent underscores his outsider position. Ncube brings a great, still majesty to the production: he is as real, as really flesh-and-blood as the people I was sitting next to in the auditorium. Ncube shapes his role in great emotional waves and his fall is mighty indeed. So I am left with two conflicting opinions which I cannot resolve, from which the debate and the power of this production in great part stem.
Antony Sher's Iago is in perfect contrast. Where Ncube sweeps and is still, Sher twists, turns, spins and is always on the move. Sher's is a slow build. He starts with an Iago consumed with hatred but so unused to thinking he has to screw up his face to do it and appears to note things down (presumably so he won't forget them). But as his plot grows and thickens so he grows in confidence. In the middle of the second half a marvellous moment as you see the see-saw swing over and Iago is up, Othello down. But Sher takes it further, Iago himself becomes overtaken by his plot to the state where he virtually implodes 'This is the night/ That either makes me or fordoes me quite.'
Sher, too, with great clarity shows us all Iago's faces: the soldier, the plotter, the counsellor, the unrequited lover, the bully . . . each a whole person and all merging into one complex being.
You might think Lisa Dillon's Desdemona might get lost among all this, but no. In her simple floral dress and little or no make-up (a direct contrast with the coutured Emilia) she shines like a beacon. Simple, honest, pure Dillon appears fragile we really fear for her.
Amanda Harris's Emilia is something to watch too. She makes every moment count and reaches a great pinnacle of passion in her final scene: Emilia's tricky journey becomes the most natural thing in the world.
Doran has held the whole play together expertly with his talented team. I must mention designs by Stephen Brimson Lewis, a thrilling fusion of economy and effect. Doran's production asks lots of important and pertinent questions and avoids coming up with patronising or simplistic answers.
Roderigo: Mark Lockyer
Iago: Antony Sher
Brabantio: Ken Bones
Othello: Sello Maake ka-Ncube
Cassio: Justin Avoth
Duke of Venice: Clifford Rose
Lodovico: Vincent Brimble
Senator: Edward Clayton
Desdemona: Lisa Dillon
Montano: Charles Abomeli
Emilia: Amanda Harris
Bianca: Nathalie Armin
Lady: Viss Elliot
Gratiano: Ken Bones
Soldiers: Barry Aird, Peter Bramhill, Jonathan Duff, Paul O'Mahony
Director: Gregory Doran
Design: Stephen Brimson Lewis
Lighting: Tim Mitchell
Music: Adrian Lee
Movement: Michael Ashcroft
Sound: Martin Slavin
Fights: Terry King
Voice: Charmian Hoare
2004-02-19 11:28:38