Everybody knows the story of Othello, right? ‘The green eyed monster’ and ‘the beast with two backs?’ Often seen as one of Shakespeare’s big four, this tale of jealousy, paranoia, and otherness features themes that have become no less relevant throughout the ages. In fact, almost exclusively among the Bard’s many plays, it could be argued that the central motifs of Othello play a bigger role in today’s society than they did in the era in which it was written. Although the Moor’s ‘otherness’ may have been more apparent back then, the realities of racial divides and the tensions it can cause will be something today’s audiences will be much more familiar with. And there can certainly be no arguments about the prevalence of jealousy and paranoia in the age of social media.
Perhaps this is why Frantic Assembly, and many others before them, see this as a play that is ripe for modernisation. From the moment you see the promotional poster, with Othello (former kickboxer Mark Ebulue) and Desdemona (Kirsty Oswald) stretched across a pool table in their jeans and t-shirts, you know that this will be a far from traditional production. Director Scott Graham has, in fact, decided to set this adaptation during the Yorkshire race riots of 2001. This suggests that the racial tensions created by Othello’s relationship with his white lover will be moved to the very centre of the play, which has not always been the case in past adaptations. It will be fascinating to see how this story of betrayal, violence, and naivety is slotted into recent British history, but in many ways it sounds like a perfect fit. Both the play and the riots saw previously loyal friends pitted on opposing sides, often with violent consequences. Both saw terrible divisions that led to tragedy.
However they fit these two things together, you can be sure that Iago will be central to everything. As he should be in any adaptation of Othello. Arguably Shakespeare’s most intriguing character, Iago is the villain that drives the plot of the play, planting all the seeds that grow into Othello’s paranoia, planning to take the power for himself. Played by former Casualty star Steven Miller in this production, Iago is perhaps the character that really cements the play’s place at the top of the Shakespearean table. He is the ultimate villain, and his influence is still felt in film, TV, and theatre today. It may be the Moor’s name that makes up the title, but it is often the villain that steals the show.
Whether that will be the case here remains to be seen. But a bit of research into Frantic Assembly and their original version of this play suggests that we’re in for a treat. Scott Graham has already won the TMA Award for Best Direction for the play’s previous performances, and has topped that off with an Olivier Award for his choreography in The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time (which will hit The Lowry in December.) Frantic assembly themselves promise a ‘taut adaptation of the classic text’ that will ‘take a scalpel to 21st century Britain, exposing prejudice, danger, and fear.’
With their reputation for hard-hitting choreography, you can expect this ‘movement theatre’ company to produce something unique, exciting, and gripping, yet completely respectful to the original. While many people still question the need to modernise Shakespeare, the reasons above show why that doesn’t necessarily apply to this particular text. Modernising Othello allows a connection with the audience that Frantic Assembly seem ready to expose during their two week stint at The Lowry.
Othello, Frantic Assembly, The Lowry, Manchester 18th-29th November 2014
Fran Slater