As the modern East-West divide intensifies, the human implications merit exploration in all venues of life, the most transcendent of which is art. In art, the most cathartic voice is that of Shakespeare. Thus, it cannot be all too improbable that such a production should be undertaken. Yet, when the College’s Shakespeare in the Dark presented “Othello: The Moor of Venice” in association with the Muslim Students Association this past weekend, identifying the moor solely as a Muslim, they did not produce a story of religious polarity but of humanity.
“Othello” is a classic in itself but remains one of the more obscure of Shakespeare’s plays. The story begins with the moor Othello’s (Rolfe Shiflett, ’08) controversial marriage to Desdemona (Molly Marie Fitzhugh, ’11). A brave and successful general in the Venetian Army, Iago (Zan Gilles, ’09) is his close friend and associate. In his jealousy, Iago - commonly identified with Satan - poisons Othello’s mind against Desdemona, convincing him that she is having an affair with Othello’s best friend, Cassio (Keegan Cassady, ’10).
From Orson Welles in blackface to Stanislavski covered in chocolate cake, a white Othello has always inspired racial discomfort. Today, a white Othello is considered insensitive. However, by choosing to highlight his religion over his race, Shakespeare in the Dark made an inventive interpretation, bringing new dimension to a narrowly defined character.
Despite this controversial decision, the religious interpretation did not prove incendiary. Much like setting it in other historical periods, emphasizing Othello’s religion simply provided another backdrop for Shakespeare’s timelessness, proving that the Bard can cross cultural and historical lines.
Traditionally, the character of Othello is synonymous with his race. That Shakespeare addressed the issues of race, sex and marriage in the Elizabethan era rings nobly. But when you remove this seemingly necessary element to the plot, the story sings even more sweetly with the purest of tones. Othello’s tragedy becomes not one of the fall of a man crippled by the stigma of his race, but simply the fall of a man.
The music of this production is due to the consummate direction of Michael Mott (’08) and the superb acting of his troupe. In the three-hour performance, not one minute was meaningless. Performed environmentally before and around the audience, the staging physically and spiritually integrated the audience into the experience in ways that a proscenium cannot. Despite the weight of the material touted, the cast showed a penchant for comedy that provided relief in the tensest of moments.
The Islamic flavor of the production, overseen by the Muslim Students Association, manifested itself in the details: Middle Eastern music, eastern tapestries and occasional phrases in Arabic all added spice.
A product of brave, original casting, Shiflett embodied everything that is powerful and passionate in the quintessential moor of Venice except for the color of his skin. The endearing Fitzhugh brought purity and spirit to her role, demonstrating that she could play a chaste wife as well as a passionate lover to Othello. The relationship between Shiflett and Fitzhugh brought a tragic poignancy to the conclusion. As Emilia, Anna Lien (’08), always dressed in a striking emerald, was a precious gem in the midst of a sea of black and white.
Shiflett was a commanding presence and a force to be reckoned with, executing a transformation from a gentle, benevolent man to a passionate and broken murderer with harrowing ease. His dominating physical presence was matched only by his skill as an actor.
Puppeteer of the action that transpires in the play, Gilles manipulated the tragedy with cold detachment. Gilles, an artist of language and wit, performed more as a host to the audience than a villain. With his numerous and lengthy speeches, he found both humor and horror in Iago’s words, portraying a multidimensional, sometimes even appealing character with a single, evil focus of destruction.
The fight sequences were a spectacle in themselves. Choreographed by Stephen Dunford (’09) and executed brilliantly by the actors, the fights incorporated knives, broken bottles, slaps, punches and kicks into the dynamic action of the play.
With minimalist setting characteristic of original Shakespeare productions, the emphasis was on character. Opening with an eclectically costumed Muslim wedding, Anna Lien’s costuming was modern but classic. The men sported U.S. Navy uniforms; Desdemona was symbolically always robed in white.
Though this was the final Shakespeare in the Dark show of the year, this production set a precedence that will be difficult to match next season.