Widely considered as one of Shakespeare’s most iconic and enduring tragedies, Othello is a powerful indictment of the destructive consequences of unchecked emotions. It masterfully delves into the complexities of human nature, revealing the fragility of trust and the potential for even the most virtuous individuals to be corrupted and laid low by the insidious forces of jealousy and prejudice. CAST PH’s Othello attempts to tackle this monster of a play with admirable and commendable effort, bringing classical theatre to a younger audience, and perhaps paving the way for more adaptations of The Bard’s substantial repertoire in the future.
Directed by Nelsito Gomez, Shakespeare’s Othello is a tragic exploration of the destructive power of jealousy, prejudice, and manipulation. The Moorish general, Othello (Tarek El Tayech), a man of exceptional valor and integrity, is married to Desdemona (Gab Pangilinan), a Venetian lady of noble birth. Their love, initially met with opposition due to their racial and social differences, has blossomed into a union of profound affection and mutual respect. However, this idyllic harmony is shattered by the insidious machinations of Iago (Reb Atadero), a disgruntled army officer driven by a venomous blend of envy and resentment.
Maronne Cruz’s dramatic and comedic timing is a pleasant surprise and was a delight to witness.
Iago, a master of deception and manipulation, skillfully weaves a web of lies and innuendo, exploiting Othello’s insecurities and vulnerabilities. He convinces the Moor that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio (Davy Narciso), Othello’s lieutenant, a charge that is utterly unfounded. Othello, consumed by a tempest of jealousy and rage, is tragically misled by Iago’s cunning. In a fit of passion, he murders Desdemona, only to discover her innocence too late through the revelations of Iago’s own lady wife, Emilia (Maronne Cruz). Overcome by guilt and remorse, Othello takes his own life, leaving behind a trail of devastation and despair.
The cast turned out good performances. El Tayech as Othello effortlessly flips from noble to menacing, playing the fire to Pangilinan’s ethereal Desdemona. Atadero’s Iago is a cautious study in sociopathy: crazed and calm in equal measure, albeit dangerously teetering on the verge of caricature. The performances hit all the required beats, but unfortunately at times strayed into comfortable, more stereotypical portrayals of productions past; this is not helped by the choice to go unplugged and unamplified, with actors losing the option for more nuanced vocal dynamics in favor of “loud or louder”.
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As can be expected, the play does present some technical challenges for even the most robust of casts. Owing to the provenance of its material, the language is, for the lack of a better term, archaic; and the unnatural literary structural pattern of the play adds to its difficulty. That being said, the production could probably use a little more time to train and rehearse (and maybe a better venue) to really make the words sing—not that the cast isn’t capable or the theater unsuitable, but the tone could definitely be more consistent, the delivery more organic, and the atmosphere better designed. The challenge in doing classical Shakespeare is how it could suspend the audience’s disbelief: that while the action of the play takes place in Venice and Cyprus, they speak Old English in unrhymed iambic pentameter in a performance space in the middle of Makati. A ridiculous notion to be sure, but one that is crucial to maximizing the experience.
One cast member, though, deserves special mention. Maronne Cruz’s portrayal of the unwitting accomplice Emilia came the closest to achieving the required consistency of tone and inflection. Her dramatic and comedic timing is a pleasant surprise and was a delight to witness, and one can infer, even in silence, the depth and breadth of her character’s inner struggles.
But putting all of this aside for moment, this production hopefully sparks a renewed interest not only for audiences to look at classical theatre as a viable option for entertainment once more, but also for the next generation for actors to see the benefits of classical training. Modern theatre does not have the same demands with our current preoccupation with literary realism as classical theatre, but that does not make the latter less valuable since it teaches discipline, structure, and a respect for the craft that is worth its weight in gold.
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