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.
With an ensemble as mighty as this, it’s a shame that director Kenny Leon’s prosaic staging feels like such an afterthought, given his artful recent work on "Our Town" and "Purlie Victorious." An opening title card announces that the story is set in a vague “near future,” where the men dress like Murray Hill bros, while the women look as if they stepped out of a Talbots catalog. (And please, dear God, it’s time for a moratorium on army fatigues in modern Shakespeare productions.) Derek McLane’s scenic design is frustratingly rote – mostly consisting of moving columns – although lighting designer Natasha Katz manages to create some stunning silhouettes as the violence ramps up in the second act.
Gyllenhaal delivers the most engaging Iago I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen some pretty good Iagos: Christopher Plummer with Jones and Daniel Craig with Oyelowo. Gyllenhaal’s performance fuels the show, and when his Iago takes a needed break after getting Cassio wounded and Roderigo murdered, this “Othello” never quite regains either its focus or its propulsive momentum.
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| 2016 | Off-Broadway |
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| 2017 | West End |
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| 2025 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Production Broadway |
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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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