Othello Is Missing the Tragedy
Tom Morris’s stage production of Othello, starring David Harewood at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, dazzles the audience with its energy and artistry — yet it loses sight of the play’s deepest darkness. Shakespeare’s story asks what happens to decent, moral people when sheer wickedness infiltrates their world. That sense of pure evil, however, feels softened here.
A Visually Hypnotic Production
The set, designed by Ti Green, presents twisting arches suspended above the stage and mesh screens displaying haunting projections that reflect Othello’s turbulent mind. The staging is immersive and visually magnetic. The pacing is razor-sharp and fluid, making nearly three hours pass lightly — a briskness rarely achieved in Shakespearean theatre. As entertainment, it is stunningly accomplished.
The Missing Darkness
Despite this brilliance, the heart of moral destruction at the play’s core is muted. Toby Jones, beloved nationwide for his role as the righteous sub-postmaster in Mr Bates vs The Post Office, plays Iago with charm and dry wit.
His asides to the audience, revealing his malicious schemes to destroy lives for sheer pleasure, both amuse and fascinate.
Yet this charismatic performance risks making the villain too likable, diminishing the sense of horror that should grip the tragedy. Othello’s fall becomes a spectacle rather than a moral catastrophe.
Author’s Summary
This production of Othello dazzles with vision and precision but dilutes the play’s essential tragedy by turning evil into entertainment.