Of all the plays penned by William Shakespeare, Othello is one of the darkest, highlighting deeply ingrained issues with racism, classism, and war in 16th century Italy that starkly mirror what we still see in our daily news centuries later. Director Joel Ferrell calls it “one of the most timely plays [he] can imagine having the assistance to explore,” reimagining it in a tense, modern-day political setting for Second Thought Theatre.
It’s a treatment that could work if not for the accompanying soundtrack of shouted speeches and the near-constant beating and clanging around the sparse set. So many of Shakespeare’s famous words are lost in loud voices, with enough angry spit-screaming that sitting in the front row might require a raincoat. It makes the production feel like one flat note, turned all the way up on the volume dial.
Seasoned actor Tyrees Allen is surprisingly lacking as Othello, considering his ample resume that includes credits on Broadway and at Lincoln Center. His volume is coupled with sloppy enunciation and halting physicality that goes against the initial perception we are meant to have of Othello as a strong, vibrant general. Allen’s Othello is worn out by war on all fronts — not just in Cypress, but in his everyday interactions with a culture that reviles him as an outsider. This makes Othello’s slow, creeping madness, thanks to Iago’s manipulations of his love and trust, less of a punch and more a slide into the inevitable.
Though their relationship is the crux of the play, there is little connection between Othello and his too-bubbly wife Desdemona (Morgan Garrett). The stereotypical casting of an older man and a much younger leading lady doesn’t help the believability of this pair, with the age difference and absence of chemistry making it feel more like an arranged union than a passionate secret marriage. As for Garrett’s Desdemona, she comes off more as a naive child than a headstrong woman who stands up to her father for her independence and steadfastly loves and trusts her husband, no matter the personal cost.
When Alex Organ’s Iago isn’t delivering his lines at an 11, banging a trash can lid into the wall, kicking over scenery, or slamming doors, he is marvelously creepy. Organ uses the intimate theater-in-the-round setup in Bryant Hall and Aaron Johansen’s moody lighting to his advantage, holding eye contact with audience members from mere feet away to further draw them into Iago’s web of lies and deceit. He is far more effective when he has a range of emotions outside just being angry, playing up the festering vulnerabilities and deep-seated hate that drive Iago’s psychotic scheming.
One consistently bright spot in the production is Blake McNamara as Othello’s lieutenant, Cassio. McNamara’s Cassio is trusting and good to a fault, wearing his heart on his sleeve and exuding boyish charm. He believably depicts true love and admiration for his general Othello, a sweet respect for the lady Desdemona, and an unfortunate trust in fellow soldier Iago — blissfully unaware that he’s being played as the cad.
Another stand-out performance comes from Jenny Ledel as Emilia, Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s servant. Ledel turns up the sass almost as loud as the soliloquies, making Emilia a fiery, armored protector for Desdemona who is anything but just a lady’s maid. Her scenes trading barbs with Organ are especially good as she susses out Iago’s true intentions. As with McNamara, her performance is nuanced, enjoyable, and less likely to cause a headache.
This is a disappointing closure to Second Thought Theatre’s 2015 season, especially considering the caliber of talent at the company’s disposal. Shakespeare should never require earplugs, transcripts, or painkillers, and this production could sadly use all three.
