Othello | Theatr Clwyd

A timeless tragedy with a chillingly modern edge.

Jealousy is a dangerous thing, but in Othello, it becomes a weapon capable of destroying everything it touches. Shakespeare’s devastating tale of love, betrayal and manipulation is given a strikingly modern makeover in Anthony Almeida’s production, transporting the action to 1980s Britain against the backdrop of the Falklands War. It is a bold choice that brings the play’s themes of racism, toxic masculinity, power and misplaced trust into sharp focus, proving that some of humanity’s darkest instincts have barely changed in 400 years. As suspicion takes hold and truth becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish from lies, this is a production that draws you into its world before delivering a tragedy that is as uncomfortable as it is compelling.

At its heart is the devastating unravelling of Othello (Dwane Walcott), a respected military commander whose secret marriage to Desdemona (Phoebe Smyth) threatens the prejudices and expectations of the society around him. When the scheming Iago (Maanuv Thiara) begins to poison his mind with suggestions of infidelity, love gives way to suspicion, trust becomes paranoia, and the consequences are catastrophic.

What makes this production at Theatr Clwyd so compelling, is its understanding that Othello is not simply a story about jealousy. It is a study of human behaviour, of the masks we wear to fit in, the roles society expects us to play, and the terrifying ease with which insecurity can be manipulated into something destructive. Almeida’s decision to relocate the action to 1980s military Britain feels both ingenious and unsettlingly natural. The language may belong to Shakespeare’s world, but the culture of masculine bravado, rigid hierarchy, reputation and racial prejudice feels recognisable.

The staging is striking in its simplicity. Natasha Jenkins’ set, with its stark metallic structures and mesh fencing, creates a cold, institutional environment in which the characters appear increasingly trapped. As the drama intensifies, the space seems to close in around them, transforming the stage into a claustrophobic cage. It is a clever visual metaphor for the suffocating grip of suspicion and the inevitable collision between outward appearances and inner turmoil.

The production’s use of video is effective overall. Cameras capture intimate expressions and moments of action, projecting them onto the screen and offering the audience a closer, sometimes uncomfortably intrusive perspective. The effect is almost voyeuristic, as though we are watching events unfold through the lens of surveillance. For a character such as Othello, whose identity is constantly scrutinised by those around him, this feels especially poignant. We are not merely watching a tragedy unfold; we are watching people perform, observe and judge one another.  

This production, however, is not a production to sit back and watch passively. The live camera continually redirects your attention, demanding that you navigate between the action on stage and the magnified images on screen. You are kept alert, searching faces for clues and scrutinising the smallest shifts in expression. It is visually compelling, if occasionally overwhelming, and makes the audience an active participant in the act of watching, judging and interpreting.

The performances are equally compelling. Walcott commands the stage as Othello, initially embodying the authority and confidence of a man accustomed to respect. Watching that certainty gradually fracture is deeply affecting. His descent into insecurity and consuming rage is powerful, revealing the vulnerability beneath the military bearing and the devastating consequences of a mind turned against itself.

Smyth is a particular standout as Desdemona. Rather than presenting her as a passive, fragile victim, Smyth gives her warmth, wit and a quiet strength that make her fate all the more distressing. There is a lovely lightness to her early scenes, which makes the shift into fear and desperation all the more brutal. Her plea for her life in the final act is genuinely harrowing, a moment in which the horror of the tragedy lands with full force. You cannot help but wish that someone, somehow, could break through the wall of mistrust that has closed around her.

Thiara brings a chilling charm to Iago, a man whose greatest weapon is his ability to appear trustworthy while systematically destroying the lives of those around him. He is sly, persuasive and disturbingly entertaining, making his manipulation all the more convincing. There is something particularly unsettling about watching a character cause such devastation while remaining so apparently at ease with himself. Iago does not need to command the room through force; he simply knows which words to use, which doubts to plant and which insecurities to exploit.

Will Stanton makes a strong impression as Cassio, while Rebecca Banatvala brings presence and emotional weight to Emilia. Together, the cast build a world in which loyalty is fragile, appearances are deceptive and seemingly insignificant actions can have devastating consequences.

The sound design has an unsettling quality, at times creating a sense of unease that mirrors Othello’s increasingly fractured reality. Combined with the lighting, video and increasingly confined stage space, it gives the production a distinctly cinematic edge. There are moments when the visual and sound intensity threatens to overwhelm the language, but the overall effect reinforces the growing sense that these characters are losing control of the world around them.

Impressively, this production ensures that Shakespeare is accessible without stripping away the complexity of his writing. The 1980s setting provides a familiar cultural framework, while the performances make the emotional stakes clear even when the language requires a little more concentration. You do not need to arrive with an encyclopedic knowledge of Shakespeare to understand the devastating trajectory of this story. The themes are universal, the relationships recognisable, and the consequences painfully human.

Ultimately, this is Shakespeare at his most devastating - and a reminder of why his work continues to speak to audiences centuries later. The 1980s setting may give this production its distinctive identity, but the prejudice, manipulation and destructive insecurity at its heart are far from confined to the past. Othello shows just how easily trust can be shattered, how readily fear can be turned into hatred, and how catastrophic the consequences can be when lies are allowed to take root.

Almeida’s production combines powerful performances with bold staging to create a tragedy that feels both timeless and painfully relevant. And when the damage is done, the most unsettling question is not simply how Iago managed to destroy so many lives, but how easily the others were led to believe him. The world may have changed since Shakespeare first wrote the play, but the human weaknesses it exposes remain all too familiar.

Othello plays at Theatr Clwyd until Saturday 24th October - tickets and more information can be found here.

★★★★☆ (4*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Marc Brenner