Othello

Shakespeare

West End

National Theatre, Olivier

Until Sun Aug 18

JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /
JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /

JOHAN PERSSON

OTHELLO by Shakespeare, , Writer - William Shakespeare, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Vicki Mortimer, The National Theatre, 2013, Credit: Johan Persson - www.perssonphotography.com /

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Time Out says

Wed Apr 24 2013

He fucked a pig for Charlie Brooker (in ‘Black Mirror’) and presumably paid off the mortgage with his recurring role as an MI6 dogsbody in the recent Bond films, but balding, babyfaced Rory Kinnear is apparently too normal-looking for the stardom that his talents surely deserve. Which is alright by me: every time he appears on stage is a bonus, and the NT’s much anticipated ‘Othello’ is no exception.

It’s not a solo show: Adrian Lester is powerful and poignant in the title role of the doomed black general. And director Nicholas Hytner is the man with the guiding vision for this taut, claustrophobic interpretation of Shakespeare’s tragedy (it’s sobering to think this might be the last time the NT boss – who steps down in 2015 - directs one of the Bard’s works here).

But it is Kinnear as Othello’s nemesis Iago who steals the show in Hytner’s modern dress military production, where most of the action takes place in the middle of the night, under disorientating arc lights or inside the sterile pre-fab army command buildings of Vicki Mortimer’s set.

Iago is often regarded as Shakespeare’s greatest villain, a trusted subordinate of Othello’s who wrecks his general’s life and marriage because he's been passed over for promotion. Usually he’s portrayed as unhinged; but Kinnear presents a far more unnerving interpretation.

His Iago is a blokey everyman whose demolition of his boss’s psyche via a drip feed of lies and innuendo seems to be more a response to the exaggerated tensions and chronic boredom of life in the field than any real psychosis. He is, in a very real sense, a workplace bully. The most chilling thing about his wisecracking, estuary-accented villain is how ordinary he is: at the play’s climax, there is a terrifying look of incomprehension on Kinnear’s face, as if he cannot fathom the devastation he has wrought, or what he got out of it.

With an ensemble that encompasses various ethnicities, Othello’s race is largely irrelevant here. Instead the tragedy of the excellent Lester’s dignified general is that he is a military man – he loves his vivacious young wife Desdemona (excellent newcomer Olivia Vinall), but he really doesn’t understand her, or much about life outside of tight army power structures.

What Hytner’s gripping, lucid and slightly too dour production makes eminently clear is that in a military world, it’s not Lester’s black man who is the outsider, but Vinall’s civilian woman. Gaily holding hands with her soldier friend Casio, Desdemona’s free-spirited, boho behaviour is completely at odds with her husband’s. Lester’s general falls apart because as a man used to rigid discipline, he simply isn’t capable of understanding his wife’s behaviour – he turns on Desdemona less from rage than confusion, and it is utterly heartbreaking. Andrzej Lukowski

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Venue details

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Name:
National Theatre, Olivier
Address:
National Theatre, Olivier South Bank
London
SE1 9PX

Phone:
020 7452 3000
Website:
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
Transport:
Tube: Waterloo; Rail: Waterloo
Map
1. National Theatre, Olivier
  - South Bank
    London
    SE1 9PX
  - 020 7452 3000
  - www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
  - 51.507200,-0.113599

Event phone:
020 7452 3000
Event website:
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Categories:
Theatre. West End. Drama. Shakespeare

Othello 2013

Date Time Price information
Thu May 23

£12-£48. Runs 3hrs 15mins
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Fri May 24

£12-£48. Runs 3hrs 15mins
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19:15
Sat May 25

£12-£48. Runs 3hrs 15mins
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13:30

19:15
Sun May 26

£12-£48. Runs 3hrs 15mins
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14:00
Mon May 27

£12-£48. Runs 3hrs 15mins
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Tue May 28

£12-£48. Runs 3hrs 15mins
Buy tickets

19:15
Wed May 29

£12-£48. Runs 3hrs 15mins
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13:30

19:15
Thu May 30

£12-£48. Runs 3hrs 15mins
Buy tickets
Fri May 31

£12-£48. Runs 3hrs 15mins
Buy tickets

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Comments & ratings

(2 ratings)

How can TIME OUT LONDON use the words: "He f***ed a pig..." on what is supposed to be a family friendly website? My 11 years old daughter was searching on the site events for today and came accross that. That is absolutely disgusting. How come the Time Out editors did allow those words to go public on the ionformation about the current Othello play? Absolutely amazing and disgusting. Terrible, and nothing to do with tha actual play or the National Theatre. A great production but insulting poor comments.

Patricia T About 9 days ago
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It is all about colour. Unfortunately that colour is beige. Full report here http://www.frontrowdress.com/2013/04/othello-national-theatre-saturday-20.html

Front Row Dress Mon Apr 22
Rated as: 3/5
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probably shouldn't comment after only second preview - but production is so well conceived, it's ready to go - and yes, Iago is the star. Really least favourite Shakespeare play but this is a great production for clarity and engagement

ela Thu Apr 18
Rated as: 4/5
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Othello

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