Othello: Ewan has really come a long way round

I had seen other high brow Shakespeare adaptations before (most memorably, Ralph Fiennes in Richard II and the wonderful Ben Daniels in As You Like it) but I think Michael Grandage's intimate staging of Othello, which mr. R and I were lucky enough to catch last weekend, raises the bar for theatrical greatness.

One of the Donmar Warehouse's biggest assets, other than its artistic director (Michael Grandage), is the pocket size space: with limited seating and a tiny stage one is drawn into the drama, not as spectator, but as an eyewitness... because you cannot physically distance yourself from the play you also get emotionally closer to it than in a conventional theatre (which makes me think: what a shame that the Donmar will be staging Twelfth Night and Hamlet at a much bigger venue!!). Add to that a strong cast, dramatic sound effects plus a few clever props to evoke Venice (a very interesting water feature replicating the canals and sewers) and later Cyprus (Turkish motifs, sun light pouring through the windows) and you have an Othello as poignant as it gets.

Some critics maintain that Ewan McGregor is miscast (probably the same ones who criticized Ewan's delicious all singing, all dancing Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls) but I thought his Iago was spot on. If at first you cannot get the full dimension of his evil mind (and why would everyone trust Iago so blindly if he did not seem genuinely nice?), once he starts laboring the ugly beast of his revenge you really hate him! And yet you cannot help but empathize when Ewan shows Iago's obsession with Desdemona. He looks at her suggestively, he softly touches her. She is like a precious object he can never have... and how that plagues him! But here's just one of the myriad reasons he hates Othello so much.

When compared to Chiwetel Ejiofor's Othello there is no doubt Ewan's Iago is (and has to be!) a more subtle characterization. You get immediately taken with Chiwetel, he has enormous range and his diction of the Shakespearean verse is beautiful. His delivery of the text is so musical it is almost an operatic experience! Throughout you really feel this guy's pain, all his self doubt. The scene where he smothers the poor Desdemona was bone chilling. Same when he discovers the truth about Iago.

The all strong cast drew loud cheers from an adoring crowd. Given all the hype (ie. likeable Ewan playing a baddie!), the production is entirely sold out, but a limited number of day tickets are up for grabs. It's worth joining the queue!!