This is not family Shakespeare. Othello is arguably one of Shakespeare’s darkest plays and this adaptation, Othello Syndrome, explores the psychology behind the sexual jealousy possessing Othello in his belief that his wife, Desdemona, is sleeping with another man. It makes for powerful and uncomfortable viewing.
Othello Syndrome performs Shakespeare’s original text almost in its entirety. It places Emilia (played by Hannah Kaye, who also adapted and directs the piece) in the role of a narrator, who interjects into the action by giving the audience information that draws parallels between the action on stage and the modern day. Initially this device seems jarring and confusing, as the juxtaposition between this and the classical performance of the play questions whether this is a politically aggravating show or a classic retelling of Othello. However, the ability of this device to cause horror becomes clear in the second act, which is dominated by a particularly vile piece of narration about the high levels of Female Genital Mutilation in London today, and linking it with Othello’s ‘honour killing’ of Desdemona because she no longer has a sexually monogamous relationship with him (what FGM has been designed, in part, to prevent).
Aside from these political interjections, Othello Syndrome is a straight production of Shakespeare’s Othello. This is a bold move, considering that Nicholas Hytner’s current production at the National Theatre has received such rave reviews. As the action spirals towards Othello’s brutal murder of Desdemona and suicide, the actors gain more confidence in their language and performance, a confidence that was lacking (perhaps due to first night nerves) at the beginning.
Adrian Quinton (Othello) has an excellent physicality that visibly breaks as he becomes possessed by Iago’s toxic persuasions that Desdemona is unfaithful, and by the end of the show he is a wreck of a man – “speak of me as I am, nothing extenuate” – who has nothing left to live for. Although his Received Pronunciation Shakespeare is delivered with clarity, his valiant diction conceals a performance that could have explored Othello’s language to a greater extent. Rosalind Parker’s androgynous performance as Iago adds to the political intrigue of Emilia’s narration, as it is actually a woman who is bringing about the downfall of another allegedly ‘unfaithful’ woman, representing that the attitudes leading to FGM or wife slaughter are not exclusively perpetuated by men. She swaggers across the stage with ebullient confidence and creates an aura of heightened masculinity. However, her Iago is not malign enough for us to believe that she would completely destroy someone with seemingly no motive. Tom Futerill is funny as a camp Roderigo, a bitchy Bianca and a suave Lodovico, flexing his comedy chops and proving his versatility.
J. William Davis’s stage design, with a huge square outline of salt around the playing space and tawny curtains at the back and front of the stage, is excellent, as these can be opened or closed to create a playing space of shifting size. As Othello descends into psychosis, the curtains are drawn and the playing space pushed forward and reduced, so that the space and the action feels more and more claustrophobic.
Overall, this is an effective production by Kaye, which delivers just what it promises: a harrowing reworking of a Shakespeare text placed in a modern political context. I always feel that a production of Othello is effective when it leaves you appalled, speechless and unwilling to break from the horror of what you have just seen and applaud, which this one certainly did.
Othello Syndrome is playing at the Drayton Theatre until 28 September. For more information and tickets, please see the Drayton Theatre website.