Othello
On Thursday evening (23rd April 2009) I went to see a touring production of Othello at The Rose Theatre, Kingston by the Northern Broadsides theatre company. This production has got a lot of press because the main role, Othello, is being played by Lenny Henry, a man more well known for his comedy. I entered the play with a very cynical outlook and Lenny Henry started a bit stiff but it soon became clear that this was merely a stiff, over-formal Othello and his character soon blossomed with fits of rage and love in overall an admirable performance. What really lifted this piece was the across the board excellence in the company, there was no weak link in this chain. I was particularly impressed by Conrad Nelson as Iago and a very shrewish Emilia from Maeve Larkin. The performance also used music well with the fun drinking scene providing comic relief amidst the intrigue and tragedy. It was a good night out and a production I would sincerely recommend if you have a chance to go and see it.