While many call it sacrilegious to search for flaws in the works of William Shakespeare, there is no denying that, while he was our language's greatest dramatist, he wasn't perfect. Some of his texts are inferior to others, and even some of his greatest have bits that don't work. Othello is one of those plays. Many scholars and performers agree that the conversion process that moves the Moorish General from esteemed warrior and tactician to a quivering epileptic of emotions through the machinations of Iago is abbreviated, even hard-to-believe. Impressive Director Jared Sakren and equally impressive actor Ken Love have devised a way to shade Othello's emotional offerings in a way that allows the Moor to make that transition believable. As a result, Shakespeare Sedona has two great productions running in repertory this summer.
The ensemble that Mr. Sakren has gathered is excellent. Save for only one lackluster performance from within the leads, this is a group that could strut the stage at the Herberger for twice the cost of the out-of-town prices. Messrs. Love and Sakren have made Othello's initial dealings with the devoted Desdemona slightly giddy. The result casts Othello as a man charting unfamiliar emotional territory, thus setting up his explosive change of heart. The effect is jarring and brilliant. This is a group effort, though; without Maren Maclean's strikingly non-giddy portrayal of Desdemona, or Andres Alcala's sneeringly smug Iago, none of these subtleties would work the magic they do.
Ms. Maclean creates a slightly older and decidedly wiser Desdemona that is not prone to simpering. Her devotion is not youthful fancy, but a deep recognition of the good in the depths of the exotic Moor. This markedly different read supports the almost childish way that Love's Othello reacts in her presence, and gives her more subtext with which to play.
Mr. Alcala plays Iago with more bravado, less slyness, and this, too, ironically gives him more subtext. His excuses for hatred of the Moor ring less true. It is not Othello he hates, but the fact that an Othello can exist. Mr. Alcala plays his character as if he really does not believe that Othello has bedded his wife, but rather that, in his lofty position, this man of color could, and that scares him. With greater amounts of bile, and less of paranoia, his slick plan casts him in the role of the anti-hero, and the audience actually chuckles along with his movements, until they are implicated as accomplices in his final brutal actions, gasps replacing chortles.
Christian Anderson is an earnest Cassio, while Toi Perkins is engagingly cast as his mistress, Bianca. Joel David Maurice plays a great fool as the scheming Roderigo. The only disappointment comes from Patti Davis Suarez' portrayal of Iago's wife, Emilia, who plays much more regal than her character implies, a choice which is not supported textually, nor by this production's slant. The remainder of the ensemble is polished.
Jeff Thomson's set, which is designed to handle both shows in repertory, does its job well. The same cannot be said for Claude Pensis' lighting, which so heavily depends on darkness and orange gels as to make Mr. Love and several others disappear into the painted flats. While generally well-designed, costumer Lois K. Myers has created an inexplicable and greatly unflattering mustard yellow creation for Mr. Love that looks more like something for Buffalo Bill than a glorious General of Venice. Dave Temby's sound design works well, allowing Richard Jennings' original score to float hauntingly through the show.
Great Shakespeare is worth driving to Sedona for. Two great productions of Shakespeare, though, make this a theatre-lovers dream of a vacation. Stay overnight, and be sure to bookend these plays into your weekend.
Note: Othello is being performed in repertory with All's Well that Ends Well.
Production Details:
Othello by William Shakespeare
Shakespeare Sedona
The Georgia Frontiere Performing Arts Pavilion - Sedona Cultural
Park
(800) 780-ARTS
July 13th - August 5th, 2001 (In repertory with All's
Well that Ends Well. Call for performance dates)