Othello: quick links
The promotional material for Othello didn’t inspire much confidence. Promising a show in which ‘Othello is told with the body as the primary language’, where ‘movement takes precedence over spoken word’, this reviewer was half-expecting a pretentious butchering of this famous play.
What was delivered on opening night was a damn sight better than that.
In fact, this Othello, presented at the lovably grungy Flight Path Theatre, is the best rendition of a Shakespearean play I’ve seen in years.
Directed by Diana Paola Alvarado, this is actually a fairly faithful staging of Othello, which is up there with Hamlet, King Lear and Macbeth as one of the Bard’s greatest tragedies. There is some judicious truncation of the text – which is presented across 100 minutes sans interval – but the fundamentals remain intact.
The promised focus on movement is largely restricted to the actors’ restructuring of the clever, versatile set (by Jason Lowe) between scenes, as well as several gripping fight sequences (expertly choreographed by Diego Retamales).
All-female cast
Still, this isn’t your typical staging of Othello. In a refreshing and innovative approach, this production features an all-female cast.
While the characters’ genders remain unchanged (the male characters retain male names and identities), they’re played by women, inviting the audience to see the play with fresh eyes.
It’s an inspired choice, which inverts the Shakespearean tradition of all roles being played by males. (In Elizabethan times, roles in Shakespeare’s plays, including female characters, were performed by men or boys, as it was considered unseemly for women to be on stage.)
The decision puts female voices at the centre of what is essentially a tale of male violence against women.
For the uninitiated, Iago (Lisa Hannens) gaslights Othello (Natasha Cheng) into thinking his wife Desdemona (Sedem Banini) is unfaithful. An enraged Othello, who feels he has a right to control and punish Desdemona, takes revenge on her – with tragic, fatal consequences.
Songs and musical interludes
In another divergence from the usual presentation of Othello, several songs and musical interludes are included in this production. This could have been a misstep – but the creative decision is executed in a sparing and appropriate way that augmented the narrative.
In particular, the cast’s rendition of Beyoncé’s ‘Crazy in Love’ during Othello’s fatal climax was not only fitting but highlighted the titular character’s crazed state of mind as he smothered his lover to death.
Top tier acting
The quality of independent works at venues such as the Flight Path Theatre varies wildly – but this production of Othello is of a standard befitting any of Sydney’s professional stages.
The quality of the acting is top tier. Cheng’s blindly jealous Othello, Banini’s doomed Desdemona, Chloe Schwank’s noble Cassio and Lucinda Jurd’s loyal Emilia are among the standouts, but the whole cast of eight acquit their roles well.
With their long, wordy passages and archaic language, Shakespearean plays can be difficult for actors to portray in a natural, convincing way. This cast has no trouble whatsoever.
Meanwhile, the lighting by Theo Carroll is excellent, expertly creating mood and atmosphere, while Leandro Sanchez’s costume choices enhance and support the actors’ characterisations.
The various elements of this production combine to create an original and accessible Othello, which has been successfully reimagined for 21st century audiences.
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Any fan of Shakespeare would do well to see this; as would those who have previously found the Shakespeare hard to get into and are open to giving the Bard another go.
Othello is presented by La Fábrica de Microbios and Gente Perdida and will be performed at the Flight Path Theatre, Marrickville NSW, until 9 August 2025.
