Matthew d'Ancona's culture: This Othello is a tour de force

Matthew d'Ancona's Culture: This Othello is a Tour de Force

At the center of Tom Morris’s remarkable staging stands Toby Jones with his extraordinary portrayal of Iago. It is the most impressive interpretation I have encountered.

The great Shakespearean scholar A. C. Bradley once described Othello as:

“A being essentially large and grand, towering above his fellows, holding a volume of force which in repose ensures pre-eminence without an effort, and in commotion reminds us rather of the fury of the elements than of the tumult of common human passion.”

Bradley’s words could just as easily describe David Harewood, who in Morris’s powerful production revisits the role he first played at the National Theatre in 1997. Notably, that production marked the first time a Black actor was cast as Othello at the NT.

Harewood’s Othello radiates immense dignity—a Venetian general of legendary achievement—making his psychological unraveling profoundly tragic. This contrast between valor and vulnerability gives the production its haunting depth.

Equally crucial is Caitlin FitzGerald’s Desdemona, who avoids the role of a naive victim. She appears as a woman passionately devoted to her husband yet unafraid to express her frustration as deceit and jealousy corrode their bond.

“O, these men, these men!”

At the core of it all remains Toby Jones’s mesmerizing performance—the most definitive and layered Iago one could hope to see.

Author’s summary: A stunning revival of Othello, driven by Toby Jones’s masterful Iago and David Harewood’s compelling return as a noble yet shattered general.

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The New European The New European — 2025-11-01

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