The Globe theater has given Othello a modern makeover, with a new production of the Shakespeare classic that casts it as a study of racism in the Metropolitan Police.
Instead of 16th century Venice, the new production, directed by Ola Ince, takes place in the London of 2024.
Othello, played by Ken Nwosu, goes from being a “Moorish” military commander to being a black detective chief inspector at the Met, rising against all odds into a racist force.
Iago is chosen as her sergeant and, instead of being jealous of her love life, he is upset that his ‘boss’ was promoted above him.
The show is billed as “Othello for our times” and aims to address “issues that successful black people have faced for centuries.”
Critics have said that it is “designed to appeal to Jed Mercurio fans.” While some critics have called it “intelligent” and “moving”, others have said that Ince has been “overly ambitious by imposing too many ideas on it”.
The Globe theater has given Othello a modern makeover, with a new production of the Shakespeare classic that casts it as a study of racism in the Metropolitan Police.
Ralph Davies as Iago and Sam Swann as Rogerigo in the reimagining of the play
In the original play, written around 1603, Othello is a “Moorish” military commander who serves as a general in the Venetian army.
He defends Cyprus against an invasion by the Ottoman Turks with his trusted ensign Iago at his side.
But Iago, who suspects that Othello may have had an affair with his wife Emilia, secretly plots against him and destroys him.
However, the retelling sees Iago’s campaign fueled by jealousy over Othello’s promotion to him.
According to Shakespeare’s telling, Othello secretly married Desdemona, the daughter of a Venetian senator.
Iago fuels Othello’s jealousy by believing that Desdemona is deceiving him, until he finally kills her in a fit of rage.
While in the original Othello is a nobleman (although not Venetian), the new play sees him as “a child of estates who has triumphed against all odds.”
The racism in the play is overt, Othello hears comments on police radios and his father-in-law describes him as a “filthy thief” with a “sooty butt.”
Othello (pictured), played by Ken Nwosu, goes from being a “Moorish” military commander to being a black detective chief inspector at the Met, rising against all odds into a racist force.
While Othello is shown to be “from the estates”, Dedemona (played by Poppy Gilbert) is a “Chelsea Girl”, while Cassio (now a police captain, rather than military) is described as an “Eton Boy”.
While Othello is shown to be “from the estates”, Dedemona (played by Poppy Gilbert) is a “Chelsea Girl”, while Cassio (now a police captain, rather than military) is described as an “Eton Boy”.
Ince also chose a second Othello, to play the “subconscious self” of the main Othello.
In a four star review, The evening standard He said it was an “intimate and powerful production, Shakespeare’s study of envy, racism and misogyny transposed with depressing ease from 16th-century to contemporary Venice.”
The Guardianwhich also gave it four stars, said: “The framing as a police procedural is consistent with the world of Shakespeare’s play and conveys the chilling echoes of a Met still battling institutionalized racism and misogyny within its ranks, as well like distant resonances of the murder of George Floyd’.
However, Time Out says that it becomes “hopelessly entangled in itself” and “progressively loses strength.”
What’s on stage?who also gave the play four stars, said: “At times it seems to give in to its ambition, straining to answer all the urgent and important questions it raises.”
By giving the work three stars, the Telegraph wrote: “Ince paints a terribly persuasive portrait of the Met, sometimes at the expense of an equally persuasive reading of the work.”
The play will be at Shakespeare’s Globe until the end of April.
In a two star review, the times said, “Ince’s desire to make the piece more accessible still creates some jarring moments,” adding that “it needs to be dialed back a bit.”
The website also offers warnings to the public.
‘Content guide: The work contains themes of domestic abuse, misogyny, anti-black racism and offensive language.
‘The work also contains violence, including murder, references to suicide and scenes of a sexual nature. “This production features the use of blood and stage weapons (including prop guns, Tasers, knives and batons), flashing lights and loud gunshots,” he says.
This is not the first time the Globe has sparked debate by retelling a play.
Last year, Joan of Arc was reintroduced as non-binary and the use of ‘they/them’ pronouns has sparked a huge backlash from feminists and historians.
Theater bosses were also criticized for their content warnings that Juliius Ceasar “contained knives”.