Thoughts on Othello - Part One

There is a book, well worth reading, that was published in the mid 1980's, a Shakespeare in performance series one, which details great actors through the ages in the role of Othello. From Richard Burbage on down through the years, Salvini, Kean, Stanislavsky, Aldridge and others, we get the details and descriptions of their work. For many years, in the 18th and parts of the 19th centuries, Othello was considered the measure for the greatness of an actor's skill. The role of Hamlet perhaps took over that mantle in more recent times and now even in Othello itself it has become more fashionable and hip for actors to play the character of Iago rather than Othello and the emphasis of the play itself during production has often shifted in this regard as well, focusing primarily on the mind and intentions of Iago. But for a long time, Othello was it, the dream role, and actors spent careers working on it. Who wouldn't want to play such a charismatic guy? a daring and successful warrior/traveler, a great story teller, and exciting and sensual lover? It's everyman's fantasy to be such anyway. Add to that all the other stunning challenges for the actor in the role and well, its huge, huge, huge.


Into the fray comes The Rogue Theatre now, with Nathan Crocker and Joseph McGrath as Othello and Iago respectively. I saw the show on Saturday night.


Before I go farther along with the play itself and/or Othello and Iago, let me remind or say that the play has several other wonderful characters, not the least of which are the women, Desdemona, Emilia and Biancha. And in this production they are worth more than a mere noting. But I'll get to all that.



My number one guy Stanislavsky spent a great deal of time working on Othello during his life. As a teenager he saw Salvini play the part and was captivated. He attempted it himself as a young actor and director, and many years later directed a production again. If you have read his books, you know all this. The play and the part of Othello is used often in his teaching. And in the published prompt book of his direction of the play are brilliant notes and descriptions of scenes. He knew it well.


Further background and interest to me personally with the play (in addition to all those monologues and scenes from it in various classes) are a production directed by Eimuntas Nikrosius and a production called Oro de Otelo, which is a dance performance by Augusto Omolu from Odin Teatret, created for ITSA. Augusto's performance I saw in person. Nikrosius' Production I've only read about and seen clips of scenes on tape. And I would be remiss if I didn't say I fondly remember a production in Reid Park several years ago that had a terrific Othello. Where this actor came from or went to after I don't know.


These three productions that I just mentioned stand in wild contrast to each other in terms of aesthetics and accomplishments. Granted Oro de Otelo is not the play itself being done, but rather is a performance based on someone reading Shakespeare's text while listening to Verdi's opera - and then imaginatively taking on the characteristics and actions of the main characters. But one thing that production had was a sense of immediate and palpable sensual and sexual excitement. Austusto is a fantastic dancer/performer to begin with and placed within this role, he was terrific. Many of the comments (during and) right after the performance by women (and some men probably) was that they were on the verge of a certain sexual happening as they watched Augusto's performance. I mention this not to be funny or clever, but rather because I think it is a critical element to the play - that immediate and palpable sensuality/sexuality. Without it, the ensuing jealousy, worry and revenge doesn't make sense to me except as an intellectual exercise. Nikrosius' production was over four hours long, of which two hours included dialogue. If you know of Nikirosius's work, this makes perfect sense. If you don't know a thing about Nikrosius' work, your reaction is probably to ask what they did for the other two hours. The answer is in the way that Nikrosius uses music, sounds and speech together with action and objects to compose his productions. The production in the park was your average amateur production done straightforward with the exception of one slightly brilliant performer in the role of Othello. Given all that was, this actor did not completely stun us, but the potential was there at any moment to do so.

There is a question frequently asked by directors and actors or those seeking to understand or analyze a play. The question is what is the event or incident that sets the play in motion? What thing or things happened that most prompted the events of the play to happen? Its commonly referred to as the inciting (or initiating) incident or event. If this thing never had happened, the play itself wouldn't happen. The companion question, is what is the main incident/event taking place in the play itself? There is a relationship or some equation between these two things that is dramatized and animated along the way. For many people the initiating event of Othello is when Iago is passed over for promotion to Lieutenant and is instead made his Ancient. This has its obvious basis if you are imagining the play primarily from Iago's perspective. For other people it is when and because Othello used to go to Brabantio's house and tell stories of his adventure's. The fact that he is such an amazing story teller who has had so many travels and adventures, including battles, prompted Brabantio to invite him over and ultimately led to Desdemona falling in love with him, and he with her, and then for the two of them to take off and get married. This makes more sense to me personally as the initiating event of the play. It makes everything else fall in line behind it logically. It puts together Iago and Rodrigo, who has his own crush on or love of Desdemona. It gives Iago an "in" to Othello via his wife Emilia who is working for Desdemona. Ties in Cassio more. It sets Brabantio suddenly against Othello which in turn pits them politically and socially, calling the Duke into the fray as well contextually. And more. The fact that Othello is such a mesmerizer, a charmer with his tales, his words and demeanor, puts more pressure so to speak on Iago, and his own abilities, perhaps new found abilities, to sway and charm with words and demeanor - only done in a different way than Othello.

That makes for two things now so far that I find critical, or at least very important for this play. One, Othello has to be charming and charismatic and have a way with words. It must be believable that he has had the adventures, the swagger, the bravado, the scars, etc. And two, Othello and Desdemona, and others in the play as well, must be full of sensual and sexual excitement and charm. There's more than two things in total importance, but these two issues turn so much of the other things that I want to stay with them for another moment. But let me take another angle for a second. Desdemona is a hottie. No doubt about it. A chaste hottie at that. As Brabantio's daughter, she has essentially been locked up all her life, kept under watch, told what to do. Brabantio has kept her suitors (including Rodrigo) at bay while never dreaming she would fall for an older man like Othello, a Moor, an outsider, who he (Brabantio) himself often had over in the house for entertainment and connections. Desdemona is ready and ripe - to be rather blunt. No doubt she spent more than a few nights fantasizing about Othello before the stealing away for the wedding night escape, the opening eve of the play itself. When she is called before the Duke, her father, the other Senators, and all to give her testimony whether or not she loves Othello or was in fact was mis-lead and charmed by him via potions and spells, (setting aside Shakespeare's irony there), she has just earlier been making the beast with two backs, and the pleasure of it all would still be prevalent with her. Of course she cannot say "Papa he makes me go oooooohhhhhooooooooo." She has to say all about her allegiance and honor, etc, instead. Make no mistake, Othello has set her free, and Desdemona, a most difficult and dangerous catch for Othello (if you will pardon the expression), makes Othello happy, happy, happy. And here is a man who could apparently have any and many women, and probably has. But he wants Desdemona now. Why risk all the problems with her father and politics and standing unless its love and happiness! Afterall, he could just go get any of several other women. Love...yes. Sensual...yes, very. Exciting...absolutely. All as a classic odd pair, taboo pair.