Othello - Theatre Royal Haymarket ★★★★

Othello has arrived at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, directed by Tony Award winner Tom Morris and starring David Harewood (Othello), Toby Jones (Iago), and Caitlin Fitzgerald (Desdemona). Shakespeare’s story of jealousy and betrayal is as important in today’s society as ever. Harewood and Jones make for a dazzling pair, yet it is Vinette Robinson (Emilia) who steals the show.

First things first, high praise to the set and costume designer, Ti Green. The beauty of this set is in its merging of the industrial, natural, and opulent aesthetics. The difference in the set for Venice and Cyprus is a subtle and effective commentary on war and class. In Venice, the actors work within large gold frames that give them an air of being trapped in an oil painting. Costumes of vibrant red, turquoise and gold stand out beautifully here. The metallic and cold aesthetic of their Cyprus lodgings alternatively delivers the feeling of impending doom brilliantly. Lies are spread in the corridors of metal warehouse screens or between the warm, mystical trees of the Cyprus landscape. How the team accomplish an on-stage assembly of an army ship may never be completely understood, but it is incredibly impressive. Using all the gold framework from the first setting, the skeleton of a battleship is created during their travels overseas. Against a background of a beaded curtain lit up to look like rain, it truly showcases the magic of theatre. The creative choice to use the gorgeous first set to create a battered warship is a smart visual forewarning of Othello’s downfall.

Now, Othello in context. In 1997, David Harewood was the first Black actor to play Othello at the National Theatre, and watching him revisit this role as a more mature actor is exciting and powerful. In the original text, Othello and Desdemona aren’t seen until they’re already spoken about. A setup for themes of betrayal and lies, also to dehumanise the characters beyond race and gender. In Morris’ version, the couple’s typically offstage elopement is displayed in a beautiful, romantic tableau that exists in the background of Act 1, Scene 1, where Iago begins his scheming. Introducing Othello so early on is thought-provoking. It modernises the play whilst foreshadowing Iago’s betrayal of Othello, right under his nose.

David Harewood and Toby Jones make an excellent pair. Jones’ sly and (almost) pathetic manner against the powerful obelisk that is Harewood creates a sinister and believable dynamic. Iago is often cast as a dashing and charming villain who fits that handsome-psycho Machiavelli archetype. However, Toby Jones approaches Iago with an unshakeable sliminess that offers an alternative reading of the character. Jones, as Iago, is a typical, troublemaking wallflower. Unassuming with large importance, Jones is weaselish at the funniest of times and reckless at the darkest. He can balance the sincerity of his character with glimmers of comic relief so well that his manipulation of his superior is entirely believable.

Othello’s relationships with both Desdemona and Iago explore the themes of aggression, power and betrayal in useful and contrasting ways. At Othello’s first moment of rage, he strangles Iago and puts him in a headlock. This is shocking and works well because it is unexpected. This physically brutal scene is designed to set us up for the horror of Desdemona’s murder. Harewood makes a formidable Othello in the first half, majestic, tender and powerful in his passionate portrayal of his love for Desdemona. However, his progression to aggressive madman (previously seen in his interaction with Iago) is slightly less believable at times, jumping from naturalism to melodrama. He may not have acted with blind rage, but his exploration of Othello as a complex and tortured character does justice to Shakespeare’s writing nonetheless.

The blocking in the final act resembles chess pieces on a board. With all eyes on Iago and Othello in a ‘checkmate’ moment. Emilia’s and Desdemona’s bodies are draped over the marriage bed while the others look on. This blocking invites closure to the story in a truly Shakespearean manner, at the same time taking on a modernised perspective, one that mimics a paparazzi culture. Surrounded by profile lights on a metal truss, the set around him confirms he’s been framed.

The play’s themes of toxic masculinity and domestic violence are amplified equally in Tom Morris’ production alongside the theme of racism in the text. Vinette Robinson’s performance as Emilia, the feminist catalyst for all the unravelling towards Act 5, is breathtaking. Robinson absolutely steals the show and draws all of these themes together. She performs not only for the back row; her power extends to the streets beyond. Her energy is so contagious; you’re bound to be drawn to her. Even when she’s doing nothing, she’s doing everything.

Alongside Caitlin Fitzgerald as Desdemona, their chemistry is palpable. In Act 3, Robinson shines as Emilia, a mouthpiece for core feminist values. Her delivery of the classic ‘They are all but stomachs / and we all but food’ is eerily poignant. The Willow Song does feel slightly out of place, but this is a minor fault. The pair create a nerve-wracking feeling of impending doom that sets up Desdemona’s murder chillingly. Their dual performance is engaging and powerfully showing the reality of being a woman in a patriarchal marriage, whatever the era.