Theater review: Othello

by Gina Robertson of John Garcia's The Column

So comes the green-eyed monster to the fair village of Denton in this fair presentation of Shakespeare's Othello (presented by Sundown Collaborative Theatre at the Green Space Arts Center). It is said to be a simple tale of jealousy, and that it is, for even Iago's malicious manipulations are motivated by jealousy. Like Iago himself, the story can tell a great many other tales beneath the surface by accentuating the more complex issues of race, gender conflict, social standards, war, politics, and mental illness.

The play is given a modern setting in this adaptation, which is apparent in the costumes and props, but the performance is traditional Shakespeare. There are a surprising number of truly funny moments in this version of the classic tragedy, such as an early scene in which Desdemona's father appeals to the Duchess for recompense about the marriage of his daughter to Othello the Moor. Sarah Dowling as the Duchess is crisp and efficient, the bureaucratic head of state, delivering a few laughs with her gestures of exasperation. The smirk on the face of Daniel Tuttel (Brabanzio) when his daughter declares her love and devotion to him is priceless. Kristy Riffle as Emilia delivers lines with wry wit and comedic timing.

Our tragic hero Othello is played by a white dude, Andrew Aguilar, thereby eliminating race as an underlying facet usually featured in this story. He portrays a ferocious warrior, admired and respected by all, who is felled by the simplest human emotion, which brings him to madness and murder. Aguilar pulls it off splendidly, beginning the play with an air of impregnable confidence. By the final scene, he's chilling while ranting and barking or giving his beloved a gentle, sinister goodnight. We can see in his face and his posture, Othello is a man of action. He will get things done, whether for good or evil.

Speaking of evil, Sean Ball's Iago is delicious but never quite brings forth the charm necessary for his deceptions to realistically convince others that he is an honest man. He circles the Moor like a whirlwind, brilliantly mirroring the spiral of mental distortion he's setting off in Othello's mind. In one scene he grabs Othello's head and seems to almost literally pour the poison words into his ear.

Lauren Rosen as the doomed Desdemona is poignant in her innocence. She starts out as a giddy, gasping, flirtatious girl in love with Othello and even more in love with being his wife. She champions Cassio's cause, delighted to be grown-up enough to influence such an important man as her husband, and she embraces her newfound power like a child playing with a loaded gun. When her heart breaks, it is gut-wrenching to watch as she conveys the fear and anxiety in the realization that she's in over her head and no one can save her.

Drew Maggs portrays Cassio as naïve and well-meaning but rather slow-witted. He seems clumsy and confused, unable to figure out how to interact with anybody, whether it's Bianca, Iago, or Desdemona. As a result, he comes across as completely passive in each situation. This is a problem for his character because, first of all, he must be charismatic and smooth in order for Othello to realistically view him as a man Desdemona would be attracted to. This Cassio never gives the great Othello any reason to feel threatened, forcing Iago to be the sole factor in puppeteering Othello's emotions toward a paranoia that is completely irrational. Second, Cassio emerges in the conclusion as the man now in charge of restoring order, a tasks he seems ill-suited for because he's been bumbling about in hapless confusion all the while. The role of Cassio demands some measure of self-confidence and leadership ability to make him a believable object of Desdemona's desire and capable leader to clean up the mess.

Soldiers are fitted out in black fatigues. They are like mafia hitmen more so than military men, a persona that works well in this story. Ben Darling (Montano) looks so Pulp Fiction that he almost seems to be channeling John Travolta with his disheveled ponytail.

Blocking is a problem in some scenes in which the stage crew rearrange the set while stage action commences. It is distracting, particularly when an actor delivers a monologue while stage pieces are moved around under his feet. There aren't many props in this production, so monologues are often delivered in traditional Shakespearean fashion, with the actor looking and gesturing toward the ceiling rather than as if he were talking to himself while doing something else. Many scenes are nicely framed on the stage, with a good eye toward composition.

The most remarkable thing about this production is how much is done with so little. Dramatic emotion is enhanced with lighting adjustments and the soundtrack. When Othello emerges on stage in the beginning of his mental anguish, the lighting shifts to make his hands green without distorting his facial coloring. In his murderous rage, the stage is bathed in red light, making him more dreadful. Carefully selected songs bring goose bumps to certain scenes, such as Death Cab for Cutie's "A Lack of Color" in which the lines "When I see you, I really see you upside down, but my brain knows better, it picks you up and turns you around," accompanies Desdemona's nervous bedtime preparation as she waits for her angry husband to return and deliver her fate. The words mirror the upside-down theme of the characters who see each other not as they are but as they seem.

The final scene drags quite a lot. As the climax, this scene needs a fast pace, with rapid fire reflexes and sometimes various lines and actions occurring simultaneously instead of in sequence.

This is a very physical theater group, and as always, this play delivers big on the action. The actors commit completely to their roles, whether falling or exchanging blows.