Broadway is getting more of Shakespeare's Moor. Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal lead Othello, a play that has not been seen on Broadway since 1982. Kenny Leon directs the epic revival.
William Shakespeare’s Othello has left a profound legacy as one of the most powerful explorations of jealousy, betrayal, and the complexities of human relationships in literature. First performed in 1604, the play remains a cornerstone of dramatic art, revered for its psychological depth, poetic language, and timeless themes.
Through the tragic arc of Othello, Desdemona, and Iago, Shakespeare delves into issues of race, gender, power, and manipulation, making it perpetually relevant across centuries. Its influence extends beyond the stage, inspiring countless adaptations in theater, opera, film, and literature.
Tony and Academy Award winner Denzel Washington stars as ‘Othello,’ the noble Moor of Venice and commanding warrior general. Opposite him, Tony and Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal portrays ‘Iago,’ the ambitious lieutenant and masterful manipulator. Spurned for promotion, Iago’s relentless quest for vengeance against Othello and his wife, Desdemona, plunges them into a shocking web of deception and betrayal.
Other stars to play the iconic enemies in past productions include Laurence Fishburne and Kenneth Branagh, Laurence Olivier and Frank Finlay, and James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer.
Unfortunately, all these performances are a bit undermined by the somewhat confusing and inconsistent modern-day setting. Why is the action still set in Venice and Cyprus, with Iago being described by Cassio as a kind and honest Florentine — yet he has a United States flag patch on his army fatigues? Why is there so much stabbing and knife play still taking place in the 2020s? Beyond all the camouflage, sharp suits, and fashionable Desdemona ensembles, what is the point, really?
The performances are all in sync, never an easy task in modern productions with shortened rehearsal periods featuring actors trained in different techniques and styles. But here they’re all speaking the speech uniformly. Mastering the Iambic pentameter rhythms is always a challenge, but the cast pulls it off quite consistently; and after a while, our modern ears found the Elizabethan language less and less foreign. It’s impossible to pick up everything they say, and the lines are often spoken too quickly to decipher the full meanings but the intentions always come through loud and clear.
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| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
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| 2025 | Drama League Awards | DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE | Jake Gyllenhaal |
| 2025 | Drama League Awards | DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE | Denzel Washington |
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