It’s over 400 years since William Shakespeare penned one of his most tragic and powerful tragedies.
Othello is full of jealously, manipulation, race, identity and tragic downfall, so imagine the same story but set in 1980’s Britain, when Margaret Thatcher was prime minister and the Falklands War was raging.
Director Anthony Almeida has done just that in a major co-production between Northern Stage, HOME and in association with theatre company, Royal & Derngate.
The result is a bold production which reframes the tale in a relatable way asking what do we become when belonging depends on performance and how dynamic staging examines the everyday negotiations which bring communities together until they quietly begin to tear apart.
Against the drop of the Falklands War, Cyprus becomes an isolated military outpost where professionalism, appearance and belonging matter deeply and identity itself becomes a battleground.
The audience at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow saw how love, loyalty, race, gender and power filtered through the every day, allowing people to belong or to be isolated.
With a totally modern slick set from designer Natasha Jenkins and trendy costumes by Sara Mackenzie, it’s a piece of wonderful, thought provoking and intense theatre.
Othello (Dwane Walcott) secretly marries young Desdemona (Phoebe Smyth) against her father, Brabantio’s (Chris Garner) wishes and wants to happily settle down. But his trusted advisor Lago (Maanuv Thiara), married to Desdemona’s maid Emilia, (Rebecca Banatvala) is bitter about being passed up for promotion with Cassio (Will Stanton) chosen instead and so he seeks his revenge.
Turmoil follows, as Desdemona’s rejected suitor, Roderigo (Matthieu Sys) comes to terms with his loss and Cassio’s prostitute Bianca (Grace Hodgett Young) tries to show him how much she loves him.
The fast-moving story is played out beautifully with lots of twists and turns and some modern music weaved in brilliantly.
Instead of Shakespeare’s famous “Willow Song” for the scene when Emilia comforts Desdemona, there’s the wonderful Tears for Fears “Everyone Wants to Rule the World” signifying the want for power and the 1980’s pop anthem, “Come on Eileen” is used to celebrate a chaotic victory dance in the Falklands War.
Such cleverness runs throughout the production which uses sound (Matthew Tuckey), video (Erin Guan) and lighting (Jack Hathaway) to great effect, bringing the classic tale well and truly into modern times – a piece of genius!
Othello runs at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow until 7th November and then moves to Derby Theatre from 10th to 14th November before finishing at the New Theatre, Peterborough from 17th to 20th November 2026.
Author Bio:
Rebecca Hay is an experienced travel writer and member of The British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow her adventures with her family on Twitter and Instagram @emojiadventurer and on Facebook via EmojiAdventurers2.
Photographs by Marc Brenner
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