Othello

Shakespeare's tragedy of the Moor of Venice, who loved “not wisely but too well,” duped by the vengeful Iago into believing that his beloved wife Desdemona had been unfaithful with his Lieutenant Cassio, has been subject to a variety of interpretations over the years, with some stressing the social implications of race more than others. That this production should be the first to cast an African as Othello is of special note since it took place at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1988, during the waning era of apartheid. With just five weeks rehearsal time, and an energetic but largely not-classically-trained cast, director Janet Suzman mounted a production that attracted enthusiastic audiences, both white and black. Intimate (with fleeting partial nudity), passionate, and compelling, Othello features award-winning actor, director, and playwright John Kani in the title role, who blends his liltingly accented speech with the spirit of Shakespeare's poetry to great effect; Joanna Weinberg, as a touching and winsome Desdemona; Dorothy Ann Gould, in a spirited and moving performance as Emilia; Neil McCarthy, as a handsome and vulnerable Cassio; and Richard Haines, who makes Iago a villain worthy of the name. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)