Shakespeare's Othello | Queensland Theatre
Othello and I.
We have a long history. A somewhat conflicted one.
My first encounter with the Moor was in South Africa during apartheid - the divisive policy of racial segregation and political, social and economic discrimination against people of colour.
I had a designated seat.
At the back of the theatre where my people were allocated a space separate from the predominantly white audience.
This particular production featured a prominent white actor who appeared on stage in blackface. Shakespeare’s Othello exposed a contentious issue - interracial relationships were banned and anyone found disobeying the ill-fated ‘immorality law’ could be fined or even whisked off to prison. Hence the choice of a white actor masquerading as a black person. As to be expected, the rest of the cast were white. This unapologetic nod to racism added yet another layer to the Bard’s insidious plot and the underlying intrigue of this particular theatre production.
Ecstatic is an understatement for how I felt when Queensland Theatre announced an adaptation of Othello. Finally, I could immerse myself in the experience of enjoying this multi-layered play as a somewhat ‘ordinary’ audience member. After all these years, I was going to witness a biracial love story unfold on stage complete with racist undertones AND I get to choose my own seat from ANYWHERE in the auditorium.
To go into detail about the play summary would require much more than this review. Suffice it to say that Shakespeare’s Othello is rife with social and political commentary exploring the themes of love, jealousy, betrayal, prejudice through an endearing cast of characters. Animal imagery permeates the play especially in relation to Othello while the doomed handkerchief becomes a powerful and dominant symbol that eventually contributes to the downfall and demise of Desdemona.
Jimi Bani (Othello) in his convincing role as the lovestruck Moor besotted with Desdemona (Emily Burton) is worthy of much accolades. He embodied, with intensity, a confident, skilled military commander but who somewhat lacked social etiquette. Emily Burton’s Desdemona reinforced her character as being a strong-willed, feisty, intelligent lady who is determined to wed whom she finds pleasing in spite of her father Senator Brabantio’s (Eugene Gilfedder) vehement objection. The exploitative and manipulative Iago played to the hilt (no pun intended) by Andrew Buchanan personified his character’s villainous nature who is intent on betraying Othello. Emilia (Sarah Ogden), although torn between her loyalty to her husband Iago and that of her mistress Desdemona, eventually proved to be a woman of practicality and emotional intelligence. Not only did she bravely denounce Iago’s lies but she made no secret of her disparaging opinions about men.
This adaptation of Othello by Jimi Bani and Jason Klarwein is set during World War II. According to the adaptors, it was a time when Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples experienced increased freedoms because of their war service hence their choice of this particular time frame. Costume designers Simona Cosentini and Simone Tesorieri did justice to the military attire of that period while sound designer Brady Watkins compositions lent ambience to the overall production.
Props were kept to a minimum with the help of Richard Roberts' captivating set design. The stage was divided into two separate areas - wooden floorboards (anterior) contrasted sharply against the make-shift temporary lake (posterior). Sheer curtains lent an added layer of mystery and also doubled as a demarcation point between the water (fluidity) and the wood (rigidity) as well as signalling scene changes. Ben Hughes' choice of lighting complimented the overall ambience and set the mood for the production.
It must be noted with interest that Shakespeare’s original script in Elizabethan English was translated into Kala Lagaw Ya and Yumpla Tok (creole combined with English) making for an added dimension to an already polished production. The cultural aspect of the play was brought into sharp focus with the captivating delivery of the “World War II Plane Dance” emulating the bombings by the Japanese and performed by an accomplished trio (Richard, Conwell and Gabriel Bani) of Torres Strait Islander dancers resplendent in traditional attire.
On the night of my attendance, it was interesting to note the array of ages in the audience, many of whom could have been in my very own children's age category. Methinks a testament to the enduring nature of Shakespeare’s works? Impressive to note was the resounding applause, standing ovation and numerous curtain calls. Again methinks a testament to the enduring nature of Shakespeare’s works!
There are many first times to mention about this particular production.
It is the first time in Queensland Theatre’s history that Othello has been produced.
It is the first time in the world that a Torres Strait Islander has been cast as Othello.
It is the first time I got to watch Othello as an unencumbered woman of colour.
