Othello?!

– the symbolist theatre

Othello?! Is a stage adaptation of Andriy Zholdak after the tragedy "Othello or the Moor
of Venice" by William Shakespeare. Already in the first minutes of the show you feel
that you have entered into another world, you no longer know what is happening, you
suddenly wake up to reality every time you tend to fall into reverie: noise, music,
screams, agitation, movement, scenery, everything is as it detached from our world.
Everything seems strange, a hostile atmosphere, heavy, you feel like death is haunting in
the air, you even visualize how is playing with the humans destiny, realizing it's own time
and space, trough the many freeze moments. The multitude of symbols that fills this show
makes it, I might say, a symbolic demonstration theater, a different type of theatre.
Milking cows, milk in abundance, the bloody red, the crow, the flour, the oranges, the
matches, the huge doors, the mirrors, the plates, the clocks, all leading to infinite
interpretations and resolutions. Maybe we can not fully understand what Zholdak wanted
to tell but the images remain unpublished after such a show, but also the spiritual sense of
disorder because it is impossible not to touch you for ever. One thing to be mentioned is
the presence of these symbols on the poster show in advance, which makes it a clear the
director's tendency to integrate all the symbols, the mystery, to some travel to the
unknown, to fantastic.
 Othello, synopsis
The play opens with Roderigo, a rich and dissolute gentleman, complaining to Iago, a
high-ranking soldier, that Iago has not told him about the secret marriage between
Desdemona, the daughter of a Senator named Brabantio, and Othello, a Moorish general
in the Venetian army. He is upset by this development because he loves Desdemona and
had previously asked her father for her hand in marriage. Iago is upset with Othello for
promoting a younger man named Michael Cassio above him, and tells Roderigo that he
plans to use Othello for his own advantage. Iago's argument against Cassio is that he is a
scholarly tactician with no real battle experience from which he can draw strategy; in
contrast, Iago has practical battle skills. By emphasizing Roderigo's failed bid for
Desdemona, and his own dissatisfaction with serving under Othello, Iago convinces
Roderigo to wake Brabantio, Desdemona's father, and tell him about his daughter's
elopement. Next, Iago sneaks away to find Othello and warns him that Brabantio is
coming for him.
However, before Brabantio reaches Othello, news arrives in Venice that the Turks are
going to attack Cyprus; therefore Othello is summoned to advise the senators. Brabantio
arrives and accuses Othello of seducing Desdemona by witchcraft, but Othello defends
himself successfully before an assembly that includes the Duke of Venice, Brabantio's
kinsman Lodovico and Gratiano, and various senators, explaining that Desdemona
became enamored of him for the stories he told of his early life.
By order of the Duke, Othello leaves Venice to command the Venetian armies against
invading Turks on the island of Cyprus, accompanied by his new wife, his new lieutenant
Cassio, his ensign Iago, and Emilia as Desdemona's attendant.
The party arrives in Cyprus to find that a storm has destroyed the Turkish fleet. Othello
orders a general celebration. Iago schemes to use Cassio to ruin Othello and takes the
opportunity of Othello's absence at the celebration to persuade Roderigo to engage Cassio
in a fight. He achieves this by getting Cassio drunk on wine. The brawl greatly alarms the
citizenry, and Othello is forced to quell the disturbance. Othello blames Cassio for the
disturbance, and strips him of his rank. Cassio is distraught, but Iago persuades him to
importune Desdemona to act as an intermediary between himself and Othello, and
persuade her husband to reinstate him.
Iago now persuades Othello to be suspicious of Cassio and Desdemona. As it happens,
Cassio is courting a courtesan named Bianca. Desdemona drops a handkerchief that was
Othello's first gift to her and which he has stated holds great significance to him in the
context of their relationship. Iago asks Emilia to steal it. Emilia, unaware of what Iago
plans to do with the handkerchief, steals it. Iago plants it in Cassio's lodgings as evidence
of Cassio and Desdemona's affair. After he has planted the handkerchief, Iago tells
Othello to stand apart and watch Cassio's reactions while Iago questions him about the
handkerchief. Iago goads Cassio on to talk about his affair with Bianca, without
mentioning her name; because no name is mentioned, Othello thinks that Cassio is
referring to Desdemona. Bianca, on discovering the handkerchief, chastises Cassio,
accusing him of giving her a second-hand gift which he received from another lover.
Othello sees this, and Iago convinces him that Cassio received the handkerchief from
Desdemona. Enraged and hurt, Othello decides he is going to kill his wife and Iago offers
to kill Cassio. Othello proceeds to make Desdemona's life a misery, hitting her in front of
her family. Desdemona laments her suffering, remembering the fate of her mother's maid,
who was forsaken by her lover.
Iago convinces Roderigo to kill Cassio instead, because Cassio has just been appointed in
Othello's place, whereas if Cassio lives to take office, Othello and Desdemona will leave
Cyprus, thwarting Roderigo's plans to win Desdemona. Roderigo attacks Cassio in the
street after Cassio leaves Bianca's lodgings. They fight and both are wounded. Cassio's
leg is cut from behind by Iago who manages to hide his identity as perpetrator. Passers-by
arrive to help; Iago joins them, pretending to help Cassio. Iago secretly stabs Roderigo to
stop him from confessing and accuses Bianca of conspiracy to kill Cassio.
In the night, Othello confronts Desdemona, and then kills her by smothering her in bed,
before Emilia arrives. At Emilia's distress, Othello tries to explain himself, justifying his
actions by accusing Desdemona of adultery. Emilia calls for help. The Governor arrives,
with Iago and others, and Emilia begins to explain the situation. When Othello mentions
the handkerchief as proof, Emilia realizes what Iago has done; she exposes him,
whereupon Iago kills her. Othello, realizing Desdemona's innocence, attacks Iago but
does not kill him, saying that he would rather have Iago live the rest of his life in pain.
Lodovico, a Venetian nobleman, apprehends both Iago and Othello, but Othello commits
suicide with a dagger before they can take him into custody. At the end, it can be
assumed, Iago is taken off to be tortured and possibly executed.