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A modern take on doomed love
THE BLACK AND WHITE SEXTET
Rosemary Branch Theatre
THIS engaging reworking of Shakespeare’s tale of patriarchy,
honour, jealousy and doomed love, blends the original Othello
script with a modern backdrop.
Director Robert Pennant-Jones provides a compact and fully comprehensive
version of the tragic tale of trust, pride and deception.
The impressive set catered for quick, seamless scene changes
using basic props.
The show’s brevity works thanks to the visual projection
of recorded news broadcasts on stage, which reminded me of a
Brechtian performance, keeping the audience up to speed with
the story.
The obligatory mobile phone ring – usually from a blushing
member of the audience – thankfully belonged to Desdemona.
This was another theatrical ploy that allowed the audience to
understand parts cut for time.
It was an impressive and stylistically diverse cast and not
one performance faltered. Desdemona, played by Fliss Walton,
was as exasperating as her role insists, from the perspective
of a somewhat cynical modern female audience. Walton’s
performance somehow stood out as both forced and natural, effervescent
thespian gesturing was balanced by his subtle tone and facial
expression.
Ben Onwukwe occasionally swallowed his words, but shone as the
male protagonist, who fears embarrassment and humiliation.
Matt Reeve gives a strong and amiable performance as the affable
Cassio, while Richard Earthy’s portrayal of Iago’s
dastardly character brings a delicate complexity to the role
of villain.
Until February 24
020 7704 6665
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