Othello is Missing the Tragedy
Tom Morris's production starring David Harewood leads the audience to sympathize with the wrong character. Othello explores what happens to decent, moral people when pure evil invades their world. Thus, it is essential for the villain to embody true malevolence.
The Theatre Royal Haymarket’s staging, with Harewood as Othello and Toby Jones as Iago, is captivating in many respects. Ti Green’s set design features twisting arches suspended above the stage and mesh screens displaying eerie visuals that reveal Othello’s inner turmoil. The swift, polished pacing keeps the nearly three-hour performance engaging and light, a rare feat for Shakespearean plays.
From an entertainment standpoint, the production is superb. However, it falls short in conveying the full depth of evil. Jones, widely admired nationwide for his role in Mr Bates vs The Post Office, shines as Iago. His direct addresses to the audience, revealing his scheme to destroy lives for pleasure, are enthralling. Watching him manipulate Othello into believing his wife Desdemona is unfaithful and forcing him to commit a dreadful act remains compelling theater.
"His asides to the audience outlining his plan to ruin other people’s lives for the hell of it captivate and delight."
"The enactment of his puppeteering agenda, making Othello believe his wife Desdemona has been unfaithful and driving him to commit the most terrible crime, is a joy to watch."
Nevertheless, the production lacks the presence of genuine, menacing evil that underpins the tragedy’s emotional weight.
Summary: Tom Morris’s Othello impresses technically but misses the core tragic impact by underplaying Iago’s malevolence and the play’s dark emotional intensity.
Would you prefer a version with more formal or more conversational tone?