Othello (Shakespeare) West End Reviews

Morris acknowledges the racism (to a point) and jealousy, but interestingly, leans into the mysogyny more than many productions. Strong women must inevitably be punished and there is no shying away from the bleak violence of both Iago and Othello, do...

Morris acknowledges the racism (to a point) and jealousy, but interestingly, leans into the mysogyny more than many productions. Strong women must inevitably be punished and there is no shying away from the bleak violence of both Iago and Othello, doled out to who they see as 'whores', 'trash' and 'strumpets'. Morris makes this play about gender more than race.

This is every bit a “West End Othello” that is ravishing to look at, immaculately choreographed and darkly humorous. It is pacy and does not probe deeply or seek to connect the play’s manipulations with our era of Trumpian truths and lies (and ...

This is every bit a “West End Othello” that is ravishing to look at, immaculately choreographed and darkly humorous. It is pacy and does not probe deeply or seek to connect the play’s manipulations with our era of Trumpian truths and lies (and our own trusting of the wrong people?). There is an impressive clarity of language and events as we hear how doubt against Desdemona’s virtue is first cast by her own father, Brabantio (Peter Guinness), who says “she deceived her father and may thee”, before Iago capitalises on it.

But the three central performances, all in their different ways, fail to gel. Harewood’s Othello is impressive in stillness; the moments when he is gazing at Desdemona full of wonder hint beautifully at the depth of feeling he contains. But there�...

But the three central performances, all in their different ways, fail to gel. Harewood’s Othello is impressive in stillness; the moments when he is gazing at Desdemona full of wonder hint beautifully at the depth of feeling he contains. But there’s no directorial attempt to explain his sudden loss of confidence in her – always the crux of any Othello – or the moment when Iago’s poisonous insinuations suddenly infect him.

Though it would be pushing it to say Tom Morris directs Othello as a comedy, he certainly wrings more laughs than usual out of Shakespeare’s great comedy. To be fair I don’t think I’d appreciated the extent to which previous productions I’ve ...

Though it would be pushing it to say Tom Morris directs Othello as a comedy, he certainly wrings more laughs than usual out of Shakespeare’s great comedy. To be fair I don’t think I’d appreciated the extent to which previous productions I’ve seen had been using smart line reads to avoid giggles every time a character describes the villainous Iago – the greatest snake in English literature – as ‘honest’. Morris just cheerily milks it, and the result is a lighter-than-usual take on the play. Not out and out hilarious, but with a certain glossiness that speaks of a desire to go easy on a West End audience.

Harewood is similarly understated in the title role. This military genius is suave and faintly self-satisfied, yet his descent into madness never really tugs at the emotions. Harewood falls heavily to the ground in the scene where Othello slips into ...

Harewood is similarly understated in the title role. This military genius is suave and faintly self-satisfied, yet his descent into madness never really tugs at the emotions. Harewood falls heavily to the ground in the scene where Othello slips into a paralytic fit, but there’s not much light and shade to his verse-speaking. (It didn’t help, to be honest, that throughout the evening the audience was prone to chortle at scenes and lines that weren’t remotely comical.)

Caitlin Fitzgerald’s terrific, finally terrified Desdemona, combining innocence with independent-mindedness, stands her ground too. Thus the production, which ably registers the play’s disconcerting notes of comedy, and throughline of avoidable t...

Caitlin Fitzgerald’s terrific, finally terrified Desdemona, combining innocence with independent-mindedness, stands her ground too. Thus the production, which ably registers the play’s disconcerting notes of comedy, and throughline of avoidable tragedy, is anchored to psychological plausibility: how swiftly reason can unravel, and a happy couple spiral towards calamity. Vinette Robinson as Iago’s wife, Emilia, also taps due depth in the outraged dismay of a woman co-opted into the nightmare.

there’s a certain chemistry missing from their interactions – it doesn’t feel like this cool Desdemona is so sexually entranced by Othello that she can’t flee him, even when her life’s at stake. Morris is good at the moments of physical vio...

there’s a certain chemistry missing from their interactions – it doesn’t feel like this cool Desdemona is so sexually entranced by Othello that she can’t flee him, even when her life’s at stake. Morris is good at the moments of physical violence here – the whole audience winces together as we hear a spine snap, sharp as celery. The moments of psychological violence, less so. As Iago, Jones is completely convincing without channelling the inner darkness you’d expect from this destructive force. Instead, an excellent Vinette Robinson becomes the emotional heart of the play as Desdemona’s maid Emilia. “Men are but stomachs: they eat us, then they belch us,” she says, bitterly, before becoming consumed by her own quest for justice.

There’s a lack of dynamism and propulsion to the direction. There’s also an uncertainty of tone: the endless assertions of Iago’s honesty come across as absurd rather than ironic. Multiple scenarios provoke titters rather than horror, including...

There’s a lack of dynamism and propulsion to the direction. There’s also an uncertainty of tone: the endless assertions of Iago’s honesty come across as absurd rather than ironic. Multiple scenarios provoke titters rather than horror, including Iago’s invented account of Cassio (an unremarkable Luke Treadaway) sleepily snogging him in bed while dreaming of Desdemona, and Desdemona’s cry of “kill me tomorrow” on the point of her death.

Between them, this Shakespearean tragedy is in good hands, and if it’s not a revelatory production, it’s certainly a slick one, with each interaction fine-tuned and deftly choreographed – especially the violence. There are dagger fights that pl...

Between them, this Shakespearean tragedy is in good hands, and if it’s not a revelatory production, it’s certainly a slick one, with each interaction fine-tuned and deftly choreographed – especially the violence. There are dagger fights that play out like tumbling dances, and as Harewood’s Othello headbutts or breaks a neck, Jon Nicholls’ sound effects to amplify these moments are chilling. By contrast, recorded compositions by the great PJ Harvey are unrolled in fleeting snippets and seem underused. Some moments are also slightly too seamless: Jones’s Iago kills off Tom Byrne’s Roderigo in a blur of flailing limbs and out-of-eyeshot plunging daggers that’s easy to miss.