Matthew d'Ancona's Culture: This Othello is a Tour de Force
At the center of Tom Morris’s brilliant production is Toby Jones’s extraordinary portrayal of Iago, which stands out as the finest I have witnessed.
The great Shakespearean scholar AC Bradley described Othello as “a being essentially large and grand, towering above his fellows, holding a volume of force which in repose ensures pre-eminence without an effort, and in commotion reminds us rather of the fury of the elements than of the tumult of common human passion.”
This description fits David Harewood perfectly in Morris’s powerful production. Harewood reprises the role he first played at the National Theatre in 1997, where he was the first Black actor cast as Othello.
His Othello is a figure of immense dignity, a Venetian general with legendary achievements. This heightens the impact of his tragic psychological unraveling.
Equally important is Caitlin FitzGerald’s Desdemona, who breaks from the usual portrayal of a passive ingénue. She plays a woman deeply in love yet openly frustrated as their marriage is torn apart by deceit and manipulation.
“O, these men, these men!”
At the core of this compelling drama is Toby Jones’s Iago, whose performance is unmatched in its intensity and skill.
Author's summary: Tom Morris's Othello features outstanding performances by Toby Jones and David Harewood, with a fresh, passionate portrayal of Desdemona, making it a powerful and memorable production.