Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ performed at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse within The Globe Theatre was a thoroughly enjoyable night out.

A story of a doomed love, this play encompasses loyalty, friendship, racism, jealousy and sexism through a black officer’s marriage to the daughter of a Venetian senator and the sabotage of such a bond by a jealous friend.

Each playhouse interprets and performs this play differently, and this was certainly one of the more gripping shows! 

In an intimate 340 seat playhouse, one of the most distinctive things about this space is the lack of main artificial lighting. The stage is lit at times by candlelight, and at others by hand-held torches by the cast. This allowed for the audience’s eyes to be drawn wherever the light is. In Act 2, the slow putting out of the candles cleverly foreshadowed the death of Desdemona accompanied by the famous quote ‘Put out the light’, reinforcing the central theme of light and dark.

Set in Chelsea and Docklands rather than Venice and Cyprus, Othello is a police officer and appoints Cassio as his inspector. This brought a modern twist to the play, whilst keeping the integrity of the storyline intact.

Another choice that made this performance memorable was the portrayal of Othello’s subconscious by a separate cast member. Using writhing movements and mime, we watched as the actor slowly took over Othello’s mind, acting in parallel to Othello demonstrating his mental conflict.

The portrayal of Iago could be considered one of the best of the non-eponymous characters. His mannerisms and subtle comments to Othello perfectly displayed Iago’s deception and wit, making it clear to the audience what his cruel intentions were, whilst Othello appeared to remain oblivious.

Roderigo, often an overlooked character, brought a wonderful comedic factor to this tragic play. Appearing in a myriad of ridiculous outfits (including a Deliveroo rider), he was portrayed as a lovesick hopeful who was entirely susceptible to Iago’s schemes. 

Desdemona was also played very well, confidently standing up for herself whilst retaining her naïve innocence showing her emotional range.

This production is to be thoroughly recommended, either to gain a better understanding of the play, or simply to enjoy some entertainment.