Review: Othello (Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 2016)

Strong feminist undertones heighten psychological masterpiece

The entire Chicago theatre scene is abuzz as the global festival Shakespeare 400 Chicago celebrates everyone's favorite wordsmith. The first two months of this year-long extravaganza have been highlighted by a King Lear paralleled against Belarusian society, a movement-based Measure for Measure that exposes a corrupt contemporary Russia, a trippy sci-fi interpretation of Much Ado About Nothing, and various works of Shakespeare jumbled into a BDSM orgy. Also this spring, The Q Brothers will reprise their globally-acclaimed , which transforms a great psychological thriller into a hip-hop experience.

Amidst all these innovative Shakespearean shakeups, you might overlook a more traditional unfolding of one of the bard's greatest works. Chicago Shakespeare Theater sets their 2016 production of Othello in the present day. While this may appear to be a rather tame interpretation compared to some of the other offerings around town, director Jonathan Munbyincorporates several subtle character shifts that elevate a timeless text into something even more relevant for a modern audience.

Chicago Shakes always blows minds with their set design, but designer Alexander Dodge's seamless transformations between an upscale condo building, council room, army base, barracks, and office is truly something to behold. Modern amenities such as door buzzers, cell phones, and credit cards are utilized so appropriately that it's almost hard to believe they weren't included in the original stage directions. Setting a Shakespearean play in modern times has become commonplace, but having the time jump fit so well as it does here is rare indeed.

The cast dons appropriate desert army fatigues for much of the play, including Emilia (Jessie Fisher). Changing the villainous Iago's wife from handmaiden into officer represents a bold feminist stroke from Munby, as does casting a woman (Melissa Carlson) as a power-suited Duke of Venice. Bethany Jillard gives Desdemona a surprising strength; she appears to be the one wearing the pants in the relationship when entreating her husband to restore Cassio's vocation. Even with Cassio's dalliance, Bianca exudes an exotic power as portrayed by Laura Rook.

Michael Milligan is an understated, matter-of-fact Iago. The lack of mustache-twirling makes his manipulation of every other character in the play much more believable. James Vincent Meredithis the least gullible and most formidable Othello I have ever seen. He truly makes Iago work to poison him, at one point even physically assaulting Iago in a tremendously powerful moment. Act III Scene iii - the most important scene in the play and my favorite in all of Shakespeare - gets split into two parts, which makes Iago's patience in sowing the seeds of jealousy all the more impressive and Othello's sprouting of that jealousy all the more believable.

With all the great characters in this masterpiece, never before have I seen the actor playing Michael Cassio steal the show, but that's exactly what Luigi Sottile manages here. He's hilarious yet believable when drunk, vulnerable but not naive, plus charismatic and attractive enough to stir Othello's jealousy. Sottile turns a somewhat ancillary character into a truly complex individual.

A couple of odd elements permeate the production. The officers serenade Desdemona during intermission with The Righteous Brothers, Drake, and Brittany Spears, plus the production takes place around Christmastime, with decorations adorning the barracks. While I'm not sure what Munby was going for by including such things, I don't believe they detract from the effect. The audience got a real kick out of the musical interludes opening night; perhaps it's just a device to take some of the edge off a powerfully serious play.

While this production of Othello may not jump out as blatantly innovative, it subtly increases the play's relevance while staying true to the script and its timeless message concerning the green-eyed monster. The tremendous cast excels in honoring Shakespeare's language while also making it their own and realizing Munby's vision. Although Iago warns that "To be direct and honest is not safe," I'll risk it here: you should see this compelling, well-executed production.

Othello continues through April 10th at Chicago Shakespeare at , 800 E. Grand (), with performances Wednesdays thru Sundays Tickets are $48-$88, and are available by phone (312-595-5600) or online through (check for half-price tickets at ). More information at ChicagoShakes.com. (Running time: 3 hours 5 minutes, includes a 15-minute intermission)

Photos by Liz Lauren

behind the scenes

Jonathan Munby (director), Alexander Dodge (set design), Philip Rosenberg (lighting design), Lindsay Jones (sound design), Linda Cho (costume design), Melissa Veal (wig and makeup design), Matt Hawkins (fight choreography), Bea Bosco (dramaturg), Lili-Anne Brown (asst. director), Kevin Gudahl (verse coach), Bob Mason (casting), Nancy Piccione (New York casting), Dennis J. Conners (production stage manager), Kevin Gregory Dwyer (asst. stage manager), Rick Boynton (creative producer), Barbara Gaines (artistic director), Criss Henderson (executive director), Liz Lauren (photos)

Tags: 16-0258, Alexander Dodge, Barbara Gaines, Bea Bosco, Bethany Jillard, Bob Mason, Bret Tuomi, Brian Grey, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago Theater, Cody Proctor, Criss Henderson, Dan Stearns, David Lively, Dennis J. Conners, Fred Geyer, James Krag, James Vincent Meredith, Jessie Fisher, Jonathan Munby, Jose Nateras, Joseph Sultani, Keith Glab, Kevin Gregory Dwyer, Kevin Gudahl, Kyle Haden, Laura Rook, Leslie Ann Handelman, Lili-Anne Brown, Linda Cho, Lindsay Jones, Liz Lauren, Luigi Sottile, Marvin Quijada, Matt Hawkins, Max Thomas, Melissa Carlson, Melissa Veal, michael Milligan, Nancy Piccione, Navy Pier, Philip Rosenberg, post, Rick Boynton, Shakespeare 400 Chicago, Sheila Landahl, Ty Fanning, William Shakespeare

Category: 2016 Reviews, Chicago Shakespeare, Keith Glab, Navy Pier, Video, William Shakespeare, YouTube