Othello – Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon

Writer: William Shakespeare

Director: Tim Carroll

Othello, William Shakespeare’s bloody tragedy of deception, rage and jealousy, returns to Stratford-Upon-Avon after a nine-year hiatus from the RSC stage. It is a curious thing, then, that Tim Carroll’s production is both strangely subdued and entirely bloodless.

Donato Wharton’s vocal soundscape complements Judith Bowden’s sparse and abstract set, lending an eerie, Church-like feel to proceedings but the tasselled rectangular frame is a strange, abstract choice that doesn’t quite work, in terms of symbolism or staging.

The Jacobean costumes, also by Judith Bowden, make a truly welcome return to the RSC. They look absolutely glorious under Paule Constable’s wonderfully measured lighting design – the changes in temperature, colour or brightness are almost imperceptible, but perfectly complement the shifts and changes within a scene.

Othello is the tale of a man driven to the worst kind of destruction by the jealous whisperings of the person supposedly closest to him, his trusted advisor Iago (Will Keen); his revenge for being passed over for a military promotion by his General.

Iago is arguably the most pivotal role in any production of Othello – what a shame it is then, that Keen’s Iago is so frustrating to watch. His diction and volume (particularly when turned upstage, which is often) mean a lot of Iago’s most famous lines get lost – or are delivered in such a way as to feel flippant and throwaway. It, too, is an odd directorial choice that during the entirety of the play’s three-hour run time, Iago barely comes anywhere near John Douglas Thompson’s Othello. Rather than slithering around him, snake-like, “whispering poison” in his ear, Keen’s Iago instead orbits like a planet, gravitating towards him only slightly, then swerving away at almost every opportunity, resulting in a lack of sinister menace that is so key to who Iago is. One never fully believes that Iago truly hates Othello so much that he would literally drive him to murderous jealousy.

In the titular role, John Douglas Thompson brings a commanding presence, with an interesting physicality that shifts throughout the play’s action. He begins the piece straight-backed and proud, his Othello the very picture of an untroubled Venetian General at the top of his game. By the close of the play’s first half however, he is literally bent double, wracked and wrought with jealousy, raging against the very idea that his beloved wife could be unfaithful, before falling deep into despair as Iago’s knife continues to twist (from a distance).

As Desdemona, Juliet Rylance exudes a gentle warmth; her chemistry with John Douglas Thompson is beautifully observed, and her scenes with Anastasia Hille’s Emilia are hugely touching. However, the decision to plunge the audience into darkness during Desdemona’s murder is disappointing; shying away from forcing the audience (and to some extent, Othello himself) to confront the reality of what we’re witnessing.

The most frustrating thing about Keen’s Iago is that he is played with entirely too much humour throughout. It works initially, in a slippery, weaselly sort of way, but has a hugely detrimental effect on the impact of Othello’s final scene, which should be so steeped in grief and horror that the audience should be stunned into silence. Instead, Iago’s thrust of his rapier towards his wife Emilia (Anastasia Hille) when she reveals what he has done after the death of Desdemona is met with laughter. That this follows almost immediately after an achingly beautiful scene where Emilia speaks with Desdemona for the last time, undressing her for bed as they discuss the fickle, cruel nature of men, following Othello’s descent into spiteful, biting cruelty (“What is it they do when they change us for others? Is it sport? I think it is”), feels particularly egregious.

Anastasia Hille as Emilia is this production’s standout performance and it is one of quiet but steadfast strength. Fiercely loyal to her lady, Emilia’s explosion of grief at Desdemona’s death, her fury at Iago upon discovering his machinations, and her absolute refusal to be silenced by him, are both utterly heartbreaking and incredibly powerful. Sadly, it is only in this moment where it feels like the tone of the production finally hits the right note – which, after almost three hours, comes too late.

After so long away from the RSC stage, the promise of Jacobean costume, and a strong cast, this Othello had everything going for it. Unfortunately, this is an oddly restrained interpretation that never quite hits its stride, nor truly finds its venom.

Runs until 23 November 2024