Streamed Shakespeare Brings OTHELLO to Leichhardt Uniting Church

After a string of successful 'Zoom theatre' productions during the pandemic, Streamed Shakespeare returns to present its first ever live, onstage show: Othello, directed by Haki Pepo Olu Crisden (Titus Andronicus and Henry IV Parts One and Two). This innovative production transports the Moor from the streets of Venice to the basketball courts of modern Australia.

"I wanted to give this classic tragedy a modern setting," Crisden explains. "Placing Othello in the world of contemporary professional men's basketball allows a few things: First, it places us in a world that is still extremely masculine, shining more of a light on the misogyny in the show; second, it's a world where an African-American character in contemporary Australia can be powerful and highly valued, yet isolated; and finally, it provides a realistic way to have these characters sort of sequestered from the world for the events that happen in the second half of the play."

Crisden has assembled an incredible cast of Streamed Shakespeare regulars and newcomers, including English teacher Sam Morell as the title character, Julia Landrey as Desdemona, Brendan Flood as her controlling father Brabantio, Chad Traupmann as Shakespeare's greatest villain, Iago, and Sally Willams as his long-suffering wife, Emilia.

"We are incredibly fortunate to have the talented mix of newer actors and more experienced performers that we do," Crisden said. "Othello is about exploring how the human shortcomings and weaknesses that society nurtures and perpetuates can threaten and, ultimately, destroy what is beautiful about people and the human condition. It is a challenge for a cast to embody so much that is good and bad about humanity in one show - and our team has worked hard and done it extremely well."

Founding company artistic director, Holly Champion, is enthusiastic about Crisden's vision. "Racism is something we often shy away from talking about in this country, even though it's so endemic here, and it's great to be able to explore it in such an accessible yet complex way through this play. I would have only wanted to produce Othello with a director who has a BIPOC identity themselves and who has a strong track record as a director as well as a strong concept. Haki really fits the bill and is doing a fabulous job leading our cast and crew."

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