Review: Shakespeare Theatre Company Presents an OTHELLO for Our Times

Shakespeare Theatre Company proves once again their place as one of the nation's finest classical theatre companies with a new production of OTHELLO. A careful blend of grand spectacle and intimate relationships, William Shakespeare's mature tragedy leaps off of the stage with passion, wit, and pathos.

Director Ron Daniels has cast as the "Moor of Venice" Pakistani-American Faran Tahir, known for his television work (AMERICAN CRIME, 24) and film appearances (IRON MAN, STAR TREK, and CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR). Tahir's Othello is a Muslim who has converted to the religion of the West. Shakespeare's text and the rich themes of OTHELLO - reactions to an outsider, the poison of jealousy and gossip - are filtered through a crystal clear lens that makes the monumental tragedy of Shakespeare's noble general and devoted husband also seem ripped from a contemporary news blotter.

Tahir, as Othello, is a man's man and a ladies' man. He easily conveys the quiet strength of a cunning military strategist and gentleman who also is smitten to the core by his beautiful, Western bride, Desdemona. We see him charm the members of the senate with his simple talk of loving his lady and we see him take the racial slurs hurled at him with dignity. The two central relationships to Shakespeare's tragedy - Othello-Desdemona and Othello-Iago - are superbly defined, and Tahir's connection to his co-stars - Ryman Sneed and Jonno Roberts, respectively - are rendered with clarity. As clear as both the husband-wife and friend-confidante dynamics are, so is the tragic fall of Othello, poisoned as he is by the green-eyed monster of jealousy and pushed to take not only Desdemona's wife but his own.

Under Ron Daniels's direction, the transformation of the Othello ravaged by Iago's insidious plan shows the general slowly shedding his adopted Western dress and religion don his native dress of a desert-friendly tunic. By the penultimate scene, Othello has also returned to his Islamic faith, bowing solemnly in prayer before he turns to the bloody business borne of Iago's hateful plot to ruin his general.

Matching Tahir's Moorish Othello is the cunning, perversely comic and ultra-smooth Iago of Jonno Roberts. Far from a mustache-twirling villain, this Iago is by turns subtle and direct, familiar and secretive. Roberts also finds more humor in his work as Iago than I have ever seen onstage or in film, and it works beautifully to ease the pressure cooker he puts Othello in and the other manipulations he carries out. As Roberts plays Iago, other characters are putty in his hands, all used for the ultimate goal of destroying the Moor - what Othello stands for and what he has. Every time Othello refers to his sidekick as "honest Iago," the sting grows more pointed.

Ben Diskant's foolish Rodrigo is a malleable pawn for Iago's plotting, and Patrick Vaill paints a complex character as Lt. Cassio, one of Othello's loyal officers who is also pulled unwillingly into the machinations.

The object of Othello's affection, Desdemona, is played to perfection by Ryman Sneed, a vision of a chaste and devoted wife. There is a strong romantic chemistry between Sneed's Desdemona and Tahir's Othello which makes the disintegration of their relationship all the more heart-wrenching. The scenes Sneed shares with Merrit Janson as her ladies maid are also strong. Take note of the iconic "Willow Song" scene (Act 4, scene 3 in the text) as performed by Sneed - the song and her rendition was haunting and beautiful, providing a lyrical respite from murderous plot.

Rufus Collins makes his mark as Desdemona's father, racked with hatred towards the foreigner who he believes has bewitched his daughter into marrying him. As he berates Othello in front of the senate, hurling slurs at him for his origins, the echoes of such rhetoric become all too familiar. It was nice also to see Ted van Griethuysen as the Duke of Venice, bringing his quiet dignity to a cameo role.

Daniels keeps the pace brisk, placing the action on an open, raked stage, backed up by massive industrial fans (scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez). The fans make for an eye-catching background for most of the play and are used effectively to represent the wheels of mechanized (and offstage) battles taking place in the WWI-era setting. Emily Rebholz's costume designs enhance the updating of the setting with crisp uniforms for the men, and lovely frocks for Desdemona and Emilia which would be right at home on the sunny shores of Cyprus or the canals of Venice.

By the final moments of OTHELLO in the Sidney Harman Hall, the thought struck me that Iago was not the most diabolical figure at work. That honor goes to Shakespeare, for coming up with such a tragedy that also works like a thriller, with an intricate plot spun with deceit and heartbreak.

OTHELLO By William Shakespeare #STCOthello

Produced by Shakespeare Theatre Company

Feb. 23-Mar. 27, 2016

Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F Street NW, WDC, 20004

Box office: 202.547.1122 TF 877.487.8849

Website: click HERE

PHOTOS: Faran Tahir (Othello), Jonno Roberts (Iago) and Ryman Sneed (Desdemona) in Shakespeare Theatre Company's OTHELLO

PHOTO CREDIT: Scott Suchman

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