New World Shakespeare Company’s Othello is Exquisite Discomfort in Salt Lake City

By Andrea L Johnson

As my friend and I approached the nondescript warehouse for New World Shakespeare Company’s Othello, in Salt Lake City, I gleefully mused, “Get ready for some delicious discomfort.”  What I experienced was exquisite discomfort, the painful scraping of open wounds to move humanity to repair the broken things, to be kinder, to defend each other.

William Shakespeare’s Othello is one of my favorite reads, and I was excited to finally see the production in whole.  I had participated in or watched several scenes and monologues from this work throughout my theater career, but had yet to see it produced from start to finish.  I was not disappointed.  Othello is an uncomfortable look at all that is dark and malevolent about human existence: jealousy, greed, racism, misogyny, sexism, domestic abuse, hatred, murderous thought, and murderous action.  This particular production does not allow children under 18 unless expressly permitted by their parents.  The violence of this show is expressed, and expressed at close quarters.

The performance space is not a traditional theater, but a warehouse right next to the Trax S-Line.  Parking is street parking where you can find it.  Watch your step and wear good shoes.  My companion remarked as we headed home, “It was like a bunch of friends decided to get together and ‘do’ a play … in a warehouse.”  This was not an elegant outing.  Also, please don’t miss this.  This spontaneous, rebellious, excellent theater is just the thing to move you to action.  Be brave enough to engage.

We entered the space to find our reserved, uncomfortable metal, folding chairs set at lonely intervals, either backing various construction materials, or set up out in the middle of the space, daring us to literally become a part of the production.  The action happens around the audience, between the audience, through the audience.  Whether seated or bravely standing to observe, the audience becomes the twelfth man, challenging the safe distances we normally place between us and the ugly around us.

Othello (played broodingly by Calbert Beck), as in many of Shakespeare’s tragedies, is merely the pivot around which the play revolves.  The plot is actually a deep dive into the sociopathic meddling of Othello’s trusted ensign and confidante, Iago.  Jeffery Owen as Iago slimes around the action in true villainy.  My companion expressed it took her exactly one scene to find him off-putting, and two to declare him a full-fledged creeper.  While Iago expresses in no uncertain terms his racist opinion of the African heritage of Othello (“I hate the Moor”), his disastrous plot damages all in his path, but especially Othello’s new bride, Desdemona (Carlie Young).  Young as Desdemona is bright and innocent as young love, absolutely infatuated with her husband.  In typical Shakespeare of laying plot twists, the unfortunate Roderigo (Patrick Harris) is infatuated with Desdemona  and becomes a pawn in Iago’s game.  Lured with the promise of replacing Othello as Desdemona’s love, Roderigo is enticed to financial ruin, murderous plans, and finally ignominious death.  Harris plays the beguiled Roderigo well; we genuinely pitied him.  Othello’s lieutenant, Cassio (Adam McGrath), is manipulated easily by Iago as he tries to publically separate himself from his fille de joie and true love, Bianca (Liz Whitaker), and avoid the shame of a drunken brawl.  Iago pounces on his need to be redeemed in the eyes of Othello and regain his reputation, to Cassio’s detriment and Desdemona’s ruin.  McGrath had some minor hiccups as an actor during this performance, but he recovered well and fell right back into full investment.  His character ias strong overall, and I pitied him his decisions.

Iago’s most unfortunate pawn is his wife, Emilia (Mandi Titcomb).  Iago’s unusual and repeated request for Emilia to secure Desdemona’s handkerchief has deadly results.  Owen’s Iago shows no love lost on Emilia, lecherously referencing Desdemona and Bianca within Emilia’s hearing, but Titcomb’s performance of Emilia is stellar, strong, impassioned.   Her presence and reality is endearing and powerful.

The three women in Othello are often pointed out to be the archetypes of women:  innocence, mothering, and sexuality.  Young, Titcomb, and Whitaker take this to the next level.  At various times, under various circumstances, Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca are all referred to as “whore.”  It is in this expression where the audience sees the inexplicable impossiblity of misogyny; women will be called whore for all of these traits.  The women stand strong in their roles, remaining true to their path, without excuse.  Where Desdemona has been falsely accused of adultery and called a whore, Young presents still a good and patient wife, choosing to submit to him, strong and immovable in her role as a dutiful wife.  Where Emilia is tricked by her husband to participate in his devious plots, Titcomb stands strong in her role as protector of her mistress, Desdemona, and is called a whore because of it.  Where Bianca is called a whore because she loves freely and can enjoy a bawdy evening of drink and innuendo with women and men, Whitaker stands strong in her position as an open and free spirit, defiantly challenging Cassio’s duplicity and holding her ground as an important part of his life.  The performance of these actresses is empowering and painful.  It is unfortunate 1604 looks a lot like 2018; we still observe women being beaten down, often by other women.  A good friend coined the term “girl-on-girl misogyny,” and this is also, unfortunately, part of being a woman.  But these women support each other, and the audience felt it.  Support among women is inspiring.

The supporting cast includes Robert Easton as Brabantio, Desdemona’s father and a senator in Cypress; Christopher Lawrence Thorne as Montano, the governor of Cypress; and Jon Turner as Lodvico, one of Brabantio’s kinsman and a witness to the final scene of the play.
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In the end, Othello gives in to all of his flaws, dragged to this state unkindly and decidedly by Iago, who feigns kindness and support in order to manipulate and destroy.  Beck presents Othello as a strong surface hiding an unsure position.  As an audience, we wanted him to be stronger, have more faith in his love, have more belief in his talents and power.  Beck rides the waves of emotional highs and lows intensely, bringing the humanity and frailty of Othello to the surface.  Nothing is held back.  It hurts to watch him unravel, but at the same time, wanting him to fight the appropriate foe … his personal weaknesses.

At various times, Iago explains away his lack of decent human response by blaming Othello via rumors Othello slept with Iago’s wife, blaming Desdemona because Desdemona “makes” Iago lust after her, blaming Othello for Iago’s ill-will because Othello is black, is famous, is triumphant, is … The excuses litter the subtext and soliloquy.  Owen’s Iago is powerfully horrid, exquisitely vile, and distastefully divine.  I am pretty sure I would need several interactions with the human actor to shake off my first impression.  Well done, sir.

Director Elise C. Hanson-Barnett has purposefully created an uncomfortable pedestrian setting for this show.  Set?  None.  Costumes?  Not really.  Atmosphere?  All of it.  Photographs are encouraged.  Hashtags are suggested (#theatrerebellion).  Participation is mandatory.  You may not be a part of the action, but you are part of the crowd.  You are the crowd that stands by while evil is done.  You are the crowd that watches as passion becomes murder.  Not that you would interfere.  It is a play, right?  Just an uncomfortable play where women are degraded and abused.  Just a piece of work where a black man is manipulated by racism because of racism to support racism.  It is just a little discomfort.

So, what to do with the discomfort?  Be kinder.  Step in front of violence.  Speak out when you hear racism, sexism, misogyny, and untruth.  Endure a little discomfort for the sake of the other.  Be the queen who straightens another’s crown without telling the world it was crooked.  And especially, remember theater can happen anywhere, so be prepared when a bunch of your friends get together to put on a play.  In a warehouse.

Note: from Director Hanson-Barnett–It’s 18 without the permission/accompaniment of a parent because of the depiction of violence against women.

New World Shakespeare Company presents Othello by William Shakespeare
The Warehouse 2225 South 600 East, Salt Lake City, Utah
April 19-21, 26-28 7:30 PM
Tickets: $20 for limited chair seating, $15 for standing
Contact: 801-719-7889
New World Shakespeare Company Facebook Page
Othello Facebook Event