OSF part 4: Othello

After a long day of journeying out into the wilderness to visit my best friend from high school and kayaking on the marsh of Upper Klamath Lake, Daniel and I sat down in the Elizabethan for three hours and fifteen minutes of Othello. If that knowledge wasn't intimidating enough, we very quickly realized that this was going to be a completely straight version of Othello.

I wish I could say that I enjoyed it. The actors were all fine for their roles, I didn't have any quibbles with the way in which it was acted and they certainly told the story. But all they did was tell the story. And I already KNOW the story. I understand the idea of wanting us to understand that the story, in its original setting, has meaning today. But it was boring. Also, it seemed like the lighting, costume and set designers all had their very own ideas about what the show should be, and no-one talked to each other. The lighting and set were both very meta, the costumes were period but weren't sure whether to match the set (brown and bright white), the concept (black and bright white), the light box (off-white) or something more natural (brown and off white). What was seriously missing for me was the director's vision. Directing actors is all well and good, but I needed more than that to sit there for over three hours.

There were a couple of cues that were phenomenal, however. The first had the lightbox all lit up behind the set with no lights onstage, which happened right before our first visit to Desdemona's bedroom. The second was the final cue of the show, where Cassio hits Iago, who spins and stares hungrily at the audience as he falls/lunges towards us and the lights hit black before he lands. I clearly cannot describe how cool the effect was.

After nine hours of Shakespeare, I think I can safely say I will not be seeking out any Shakespeare plays until next summer, so if there's something you really think I should see, prepare your argument well.

That's all for Ashland until next year! Much Ado, Henry VIII, All's Well That Ends Well, an Octavio Solis adaptation of Don Quixote, the aforementioned Music Man, a couple of plays I've
never heard of but look cool- I'll definitely be back!