Othello
Othello By William Shakespeare
Directed by Brain Vaughn
Staring Esau Pritchett, Martin Yurek, and Lindsay Kyler
Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, Orlando Florida</strong>
This is the big-blowout no-holds-barred 2013 project for Orlando Shakes, and if you only going to one show this season this is it – big sets, big fights, out-of-town talent, and a story that’s one of the Bard’s clearest. Othello, The Moor (Pritchett) is an oddity in mediaeval Venice – a black man in a position of power. The racism of Shakespeare’s’ England compare favorably with postwar America, but Othello is employed by the government to do its dirty work and the Duchess (Anne Hering) is uninterested in petty complaints. Those complaints come from Brabantio (Joe Vincent) who argues Othello must have use magic to seduce and marry his daughter Desdemona (Kyler). How else could a young girl fall for an interracial marriage? Othello has some other baggage, his “ancient” (i.e. standard bearer) Iago (Yurek) was replaced by younger Cassio (Shannon Michael Wamser). This is a mortal insult, and Iago sets off to destroy his old boss. And what of the Turks attacking Cyprus? Not at all important, so long as The Moor is destroyed.
If Othello has a flaw, it’s that he’s too trusting of a man he just demoted. As Pritchett’s character unwinds, he becomes more and more angry at Desdemona yet fails to question what he admits are wild accusations. That the marriage might upset other people never crosses his mind, and he carefully avoids verifying any facts presented to him. He physically dominates Desdemona, who cowers with the veracity of any abused wife. While Yurek’s evil genius is convincing, he’s a quiet and small as the provocateur and while he executes his plans with a cool efficiency, he never emits the sort of personal anger needed to sell his ideas. Around this core we have some comic relief – Roderigo (John P Keller) is in love with Desdemona, and Iago vaguely promises him Desdemona but instead cleans out his bank accountant and literary stabs him in the back. Emilia (Suzan O’Donnell) is Iago wife and Desdemona’s best friend; she’s fussy and shortsighted as she steals Desdemona’s most beloved possession, again without questioning an unreasonable request. Perhaps it’s Iago with the witchcraft, but sometimes you just want to grab someone in a Shakespeare play, slap them and ask ‘What the HELL were you thinking?”
With all this high powered talent ready to kill each other, it’s up to local sword collector Bill Warriner to choreographed the fights; stage blood is drawn but no one is injured, at least not on opening night. The set ( by Bert Scott) is magical, it looks a bit like a Piranesi wood cut and the moody lighting keeps us in the twilight of Othello’s misguided mind. There are certainly morals abounding in this engaging production: be careful whom you trust, be careful of you mistrust, and like the Gipper once said: “Trust, but verify.” Trust me, this is a great show. Now it up to you- verify.
For more information on Orlando Shakespeare Theater, visit
