Beau Theatre Company share Kevin Klassen’s razor sharp adaptation of Othello, tightening the story to a cast of 6 actors, and just the essentials. Klassen plays the villainous Iago, and is almost nonchalant in his scheming, which serves to underscore the tragedy beautifully. Ray Strachan’s Othello has a wonderful range of emotions, and Olivia Raine’s Desdemona is sweet and charming. An absolute standout is Haley Vincent’s Emilia, who in a smart choice is dressed to indicate she is one of the soldiers, but still Desdemona’s lady in waiting - enabling the sense of duty Emilia feels toward Desdemona to take on a new perspective.
Staged in Dalnavert’s visitors centre, director Brenda McLean creates a thrust space, and has action taking place all over the visible space as well as behind the audience at times, giving a depth to the experience. Subtle moments of direct address keep the audience engaged and complicit, while simple choices for actor movement and stillness created tension throughout the performance.
Overall a nice adaptation with some strong performances, and well worth adding to your ShakespeareFest list!