Matthew d'Ancona's Culture: This Othello Is a Tour de Force
At the core of Tom Morris’s brilliant production is Toby Jones’s astonishing portrayal of Iago, which stands out as the finest I have witnessed.
The great Shakespearean scholar AC Bradley described Othello as “a being essentially large and grand, towering above his fellows, holding a volume of force which in repose ensures pre-eminence without an effort, and in commotion reminds us rather of the fury of the elements than of the tumult of common human passion.”
This description suits David Harewood, who stars in Tom Morris’s remarkable production, reprising the role he first performed at the National Theatre in 1997—marking a historic moment since no Black actor had been cast as Othello at the NT before then.
Harewood’s Othello embodies immense dignity, a Venetian general with legendary achievements, which makes the portrayal of his psychological collapse even more powerful.
Crucially, Caitlin FitzGerald’s Desdemona is portrayed not as a passive ingénue, but as a woman deeply in love with her husband, yet openly frustrated when their marriage is threatened by deceit and manipulation.
“O, these men, these men!”
At the very heart of this production is Toby Jones’s extraordinary Iago, a performance unmatched in its intensity and skill.
Author's summary: This production of Othello combines powerful performances with a fresh, compelling interpretation, elevating Shakespeare’s tragedy to a new height of emotional depth and dramatic force.
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