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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Othello Also see Susan's review of Pippin
Wendell Pierce ably brings out the many sides of Othello's character: the confident military strategist, the devoted husband of Desdemona (Olivia Cygan), and the guileless man whose trust in the wrong person leads to despair and personal destruction. Too often he sees only the surface, never realizing until it's too late that Iago (Ben Turner) has his own agenda. He is never less than engaging to watch. Turner matches Pierce in his devotion to detail, specifically the pleasure Iago takes in the asides where he explains exactly how he's playing the other characters against each other. Cygan is a resolute Desdemona, who ultimately realizes that the attack on her is no accident, and Lucas Iverson ably presents Cassio as another honorable man who thinks the best of everyone. The surprising standout is Melanie Field as Emilia: earthy, substantial, funny, and the one who–while she can't stop the carnage–finally tries her best to minimize the damage. Godwin is telling the story on a very large stage space, with additional audience seats on each side of the acting area. While it is spare as far as individual set pieces, the staging draws the audience's attention, most notably when Desdemona's bed elevates to allow other actors to perform around it. Amith A. Chandrashaker's lighting design and Christopher Shutt's sound design help create the shifting scenes with economy and ease. Othello runs through June 28, 2026, at Shakespeare Theatre Company, Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW, Washington DC. For tickets and information, please visit www.shakespearetheatre.org or call 202-547-1122 or 877-487-8849. By William Shakespeare Cast: |
