Othello, Shakespeare Theatre Company
The tragic arc of Othello is a notoriously difficult one to stage. Over the course of the play, we watch the machinations of Iago (Ben Turner) manipulate a newly married Othello (Wendell Pierce) into doubt, then certainty, then murderous intent and action against his wife. We watch Desdemona (Olivia Cygan) herself act in utter ignorance of the poisoning of her husband's mind against her until the end, when even as she understands the danger she is in, she walks into that danger and forgives her husband entirely. We don't even truly understand why Iago feels so compelled to take down Othello, beyond his proclaimed hatred for the man (yes, he says at one point it's because there are rumors Othello slept with Iago's wife, but that simply isn't explored in any depth). Ben Turner and Wendell Pierce in Othello at Shakespeare Theatre Company. Photo by Teresa Castracane. In the hands of Simon Godwin at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, these issues fester into a disconnec...
