Curious things about the first two scenes of Othello.
As the play opens, the Duke's council is in session in the middle of the night because a possible war is brewing and decisions need to be made quickly. Brabantio, one of the Senators, is home sleeping. His daughter Desdemona has been stealed away out of his house earlier that night by Othello. The war council has sent out three separate dispatches to try and find Othello. Obviously he wasn't at his usual abode because he was someplace getting married to and then (at the Sagittary) getting on with Desdemona. But the council has been trying to find him. They need his services. But apparently no one has been searching for or trying to call Brabantio to the meeting. Why? Or why not? And the second question is who in the world gets to interrupt a hastily called middle of the night war council meeting to complain that their daughter has eloped with someone they don't like and so they want the guy taken care of, prosecuted with the law? And why do they get to do that? We need answers or possibilities for answers in order to grasp the logic and the tension, the full dramatic action of these first two scenes.
Stanislavsky for one offered some interesting and plausable answers. Stanislavsky suggested that Brabantio, whose influence we hear is double the Duke's, could or would be Duke himself, save for a political agreement between him and the current Duke. Brabantio essentially did the Duke a favor. But the Duke has been slowly dismantling some of Branbantio's ideas and policies. (reason perhaps not to invite him to the council meeting that night?). Before Brabantio and Othello come into the council meeting, one of the Senators announces Brabantio's entrance. The Duke however proceeds to greet Othello first and then say to Brabantio, "oh sorry I didn't see you there and we missed having your council tonight, so sorry you weren't here." When Brabantio explains what happened to his daughter and asks for revenge on the man who took her, the Duke agrees - seizing on it as a chance to repay that political favor. However, when he finds out the guy in question is Othello, things change. Suddenly these are now two men (Duke and Brabantio) in a power struggle with one another politically, socially, in front of the rest of the Senators and others now present. How will it go down? Some of the Senators would be worried and fence walking like crazy having given their own allegiance to one of these men one way or another. Its a political throwdown. And then Othello speaks giving his side of the story. And with his charm and charisma, his great gift of storytelling, and in this case humility as well, he throws the lead over to the Duke's side. But of course Othello had suggested that they don't really listen to him but rather go get Desdemona and let her tell her side of things. And so there is still Desdemona to be heard. When she arrives, fresh from a little time alone with Othello on their wedding night, after sneaking out of her father's house (where she has basically been a captive all her young life) she gives her side of the story, cementing politically reprieve for the Duke (who now will not have to prosecute Othello).
Addendum: The very talented David Morden who plays Brabantio in Rogue's production looked like Hulk Hogan with that wig and cap he was wearing. Maybe why I used references like "throwdown!" Sometimes these modern references and images get in the way!
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