Comprehensive Review: Birmingham Stage Company's Othello Performance

This report provides a review of a performance of Shakespeare's Othello by the Birmingham Stage Company. The review highlights the strengths of the production, particularly the portrayal of Iago by Neal Foster, the performances of Cyril Nri as Othello, and Rebecca Santos as Desdemona. It discusses the play's themes of envy, race, and love, while also offering critiques of the costumes and lighting. The report praises the company's understanding of the dialogue and the injection of light comedy, ultimately concluding that the production successfully captures the essence of the original script and atmosphere. The review also touches upon the story of an African general in the Army who was misused to accuse his wife of adultery, and a groundbreaking study of racial damage, which took place around 1604.

Sociology 0
Title:
Assignment Name:
Student Name:
Course Name and Number:
Professor:
Date:

Sociology 1
One of the greatest plays I have seen is Othello with BSC. A mark of it being great is that his
been enacted many times but still, something new could be found.
Iago is best played and potrayed as simply evil by Neal Foster, is the friendliest, jauntiest,
bluffest lago you can imagine. The way he spins the web in which everyone gets indulged and
trapped is beautifully evil which makes you hate the character, thus a fine example of perfect
casting. Skipping from charming, encouraging and gregarious to sly and conniving in a second
he did a mean line in evil smiles and you felt the atmosphere darken as his plans unfolded. In the
final scene'his manic laugh is the frightening backdrop as his true self is unmasked.
As he twists the knife in the end with a hearty evil, the audience gain respect for him. Othello by
Cyril Nri is as expected traditional, and thus the fall makes it pitiful. A naïve man who is easily
persuaded by his wife’s infidelity is very well done by him. The screams and howls that come
from this powerful shoulder make you feel sad for him.
As Rebecca Santos play as pretty Desmonas, she potrays and excellent wife with love, warmth
and strength. Emma Christer as Emilia has an outstanding performance too. Her open face and
straightforward, nearly staccato reception is ideal for the plain speech she seeks courage in the
final scene.
Othello remains an emotional roller coaster which explores envy, hostility and race seen largely
in the eyes of an alarmed, motivated child.
So it is disconcerting that so many directorial officers want to recreate Othello in a modern,
clever way. Maybe it's misguided pride that makes them believe they can better the original. Or
perhaps they feel a wonderful creative desire to do new and different things. Whatever the case,
these cravings are almost ever proven to be wrong. Fortunately, this excellent Birmingham Stage

Sociology 2
Company anniversary production is immune to this challenge and true to the Shakespeare script
and atmosphere. In addition, the company's clever understanding of the dialog between Iago and
her foolish fop Rodrigo injects a welcome light comedy into the otherwise heavy setting, which
will help to create an entirely balanced evening of fun.
The route is beautiful, and the majestic scene gives life to a baronic stone palace in Cyprus that is
minimally decorated as a fitting backdrop for the shooting (soltitude, 2020).
It's a real and entertaining feeling that the Birmingham Stage Company’s Othello puts some
recent interpretations to shame at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Costumes could have been more Shakespearean, more work could have been done, and a few
huge collars, long robes, atleast on the non-military characters could have bought life to the
Shakespearean era. The clothes were more of a modern day interpretation. Woman of that era
dod not have a priviledge of short dresses and thus, the portrayal is wrong. Stage is wide, and the
actors make full use of it. The lighting is not very bright and could have been better, but does
justice to the show anyway.
The theme of Othello has been military heroism and love, the play does full justice to it with apt
cast and characters. The show was never at a slump but kept audience on feet with a special
mention for Iago. Othello is a tale of sexual envy. The story of an African general in the Army
who was misused to accuse his wife of adultery. It's also a groundbreaking study of racial
damage, which took place around 1604.

Sociology 3
References
soltitude, s. (2020). Othello-BSC. Retrieved 10 April 2020, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLbOqOSkG2w&feature=youtu.be