Othello (Reprise)

Saw Othello at the Blackfriars Playhouse again last night. The first time I saw this production by the American Shakespeare Center, back in September, was on its opening night and I was mightily impressed with René Thornton Jr. as Othello and James Keegan as Iago. It is now near the end of the show’s run (in repertory with Macbeth, The Tempest and As You Like It) and if anything it has become stronger. I found myself giving rapt attention to Iago’s asides—his intricate scheming is revealed in these speeches delivered with only the audience present—as well as the wisdom of Emelia (Celia Madeoy), Iago’s wife, and the emotional pleading of Desdemona (Sarah Fallon), Othello’s wife. These are all fine actors and I’m looking forward to seeing them this Friday night in As You Like It’s final performance and again in the very interesting Actors’ Renaissance Season, January to March 2007 (Hamlet (First Quarto), Duchess of Malfi, Pericles, Brats of Clarence and The Devil is an Ass).