Content warning: This review, like the production itself, contains references to suicide, racism and domestic abuse. Please do not read this article if you find these subject matters triggering or distressing.
Director Ola Ince rejuvenates Shakespeare once more in her take on Othello. After her version of Romeo and Juliet back in 2021 – starring Alfred Enoch and Rebekah Murrell – issues a frank and bleak reminder that we shouldn’t romanticise the teen suicides at its core, Ince’s latest production at Shakespeare’s Globe is reframed within the Metropolitan Police. It’s yet another brutal show from Ince – both in terms of the violence depicted, but also in its unflinching look at topical and pressing issues (that being, in this case, of course, racism).
Ken Nwosu gives a commanding performance in the eponymous role, resolute (albeit initially, of course, before jealousy takes hold) and emphatic in his portrayal, with a single glance of disdain showing his growing contempt for Desdemona (Poppy Gilbert) as the play progresses. Meanwhile, Ralph Davis is a sharp and manipulative Iago, gently exploring the idea that his character’s evil, racist actions and offences can afforded a significant level of deniability simply by way of his thoughts, suspicions and speculation – as explained in a bit more detail in a subsequent paragraph. Sam Swann provides brilliant humour with his outlandish guises as Roderigo – from a Deliveroo uniform to classic hi-vis – and Charlotte Bate is an impassioned Emilia, devastating in her final condemnation of both Othello and Iago’s behaviour. Her and Desdemona possess a fierce defence of their innocence and femininity, turning into powerful defiance as their husbands’ malicious actions escalate.
Othello’s initial need for “ocular evidence” corresponds well with standard police procedure and not to rely on hearsay, and the matter of the handkerchief and overhearing a conversation between Cassio and Iago eventually serves as stronger proof, but for all its focus on the Met, it seems odd that more challenge isn’t given to Othello’s disregard of due process. His confirmation bias is plain to see, yet that doesn’t serve a strong explanation for why a distinguished officer in the force to forgo what he has been taught. There’s not enough conveyed in the play to suggest the error is institutional or a case of harmful groupthink.
There are striking scenes which tap into this well, however. Racist language Othello hears uttered around him echo in his thoughts as comments over police radio. The ending, which I won’t spoil here so as to preserve its full impact, hits hard with a modern day reality. It’s another Ince Shakespeare production which comes with remarkable poetry, lyrics and symbolism – an impressive and intriguing accessibility to a play which flickers between a candlelit tenderness and gritty, grey darkness (from candlelight designer Anna Watson) and is accompanied by an electric, rhythmic score from Renel Shaw to make the staging a truly cinematic police procedural drama.
Indeed, with Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster’s giving Nwosu’s Othello jolty and jerky movements, there is even a sense of a fluid character and thinker trying to express themselves more freely against the rigidity of societal structures, the final moments of the play illustrating just how ‘locked in’ he is in that respect, along with the metal caging at the back of Amelia Jane Hankin’s metallic stage used throughout.
Some ideas could have been developed further, but this Othello is energetic and enticing.
★★★★
Othello is now playing at Shakespeare’s Globe until 13 April.
A second captioned performances is scheduled for 9 March, relaxed performances will take place on 22 February and 3 April, and audio described performances are scheduled for 24 February and 16 March.
British Sign Language interpretation will be provided on 25 March and 1 April.
Production Images: Johan Persson.
Disclaimer: I was invited to watch ‘Othello’ for free in exchange for a review of the performance as a member of the press. I did not receive payment for this article and all opinions stated above are honest and my own.
Liam O'Dell 