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

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

Tom Morris’s production of Othello centers on Toby Jones’s remarkable portrayal of Iago, which stands out as the finest performance of the character I have witnessed.

The great Shakespearean scholar AC Bradley 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.”

David Harewood embodies this description in Morris’s powerful staging, reprising a role he first took on at the National Theatre in 1997—a groundbreaking casting decision as he was the first Black actor to play Othello there. Harewood’s Othello exudes immense dignity as a Venetian general of legendary stature, making his tragic psychological unraveling especially gripping.

Caitlin FitzGerald’s Desdemona complements this portrayal. Unlike passive versions of the character, her Desdemona is passionately in love with Othello yet openly frustrated as deceit threatens their marriage, captured poignantly in her exclamation, “O, these men, these men!”

At the core, Toby Jones’s Iago is the production’s tour de force, marking a performance unmatched in its intensity and craft.

Author’s summary: Tom Morris’s Othello features outstanding performances by Toby Jones and David Harewood, creating a deeply compelling exploration of dignity, love, and destructive jealousy.

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

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