Taking on any play by William Shakespeare is no easy feat, especially in theatre, where actors are required to memorise heavy and complicated dialogue. Amanda Crewes, through the talented cast at The Actors Hub, has done a tremendous job bringing Othello to life.
Although the play is set in what appears to be the present time, this is evident from the clothing worn by the cast, Amanda has remained true to Shakespear’s words.
For those who are not big fans or accustomed to Shakespearean talk, you should not be put off. Extra concentration may be needed (as in any Shakespeare story) to follow every interaction between the characters. However, you should still be able to understand the essence of the play and the storyline.
The protagonist and title character Othello, who, despite his ethnicity, has risen through the ranks of a white society to become a General in Venice and marry a white woman, the noble Desdemona. Roderigo, a wealthy man, longs for Desdemona. He is heartbroken upon learning the news of Desdemona’s marriage to Othello.
Trouble ensues when Lago, who serves under Othello, is overlooked for the position of lieutenant in favour of a less experienced soldier, Michael Cassio. Filled with bitterness and resentment, Lago devises a web of lies in his plot to bring down Othello as revenge for this perceived injustice. On his path to destroy Othello, he manipulates those around him, cunningly convincing Othello of Desmonda being unfaithful, which leads to devasting consequences.
Amanda cleverly uses a giant chess board as the central focus of the stage, with the characters performing in and around the board. Every move Lago makes on the chess board is matched with a move he makes in destroying Othello.
The play is long, which makes me applaud the amazing cast, which never misses a beat. Leo Rimmer, Bernard Bolum, Kayla Merritt, Jayk Thomas, and Jet Fairlie are exceptional in portraying their characters.
Even if you are not a Shakespeare fan, the play is worth viewing to see these rising young actors.
To book tickets to Othello, please visit https://actorshubperth.com.au/productions/
This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.
