Othello showed during the opening weekend of Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees 2024. (Photo: Fiona MacPherson via woordfees.co.za)
Othello – a visual and emotional journey
Othello, adapted and directed by Lara Foot, is a beautiful and symbolic visual feast. It is a highly relatable version of the classic Shakespearean text. Placed in colonial Africa, the many-layered themes are brought home in a stark and specific context: othering, racism, cultural displacement and the impact of prejudice on all our relationships. This Baxter production has a strong cast, with standout performances by Albert Pretorius (Iago) and Atandwa Kani (Othello). Wessel Pretorius as Rodrigo brings much-needed comic relief, and Carlo Daniels as Cassio stands in strong contrast to the conniving Iago. All the cast deliver solid performances, with many playing dual roles effortlessly. The interweaving of languages is also used poetically throughout the performance and adds another layer to an already musical script.
On a critical note, it is on the long side (three hours and 20 minutes). The original script is loaded and complex, and in adaptation some songs and dialogue sections have been added and fleshed out. While this suits the context, it does end up stretching the play, and at times I felt it dragged a little bit. Especially in the first act, I felt there were places where pacing could be improved. The second act, however, was much stronger and emotionally gripping for me. And, by the end, I felt raw and shattered – in a good way. I was moved by the tragedy of it all, and the final image of rocks clattering as everything comes crashing down lingered with me.
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