A fine reproduction of a timeless Shakespearean classic produced and performed well by a group of Sheffield Hallam University students, this was Othello as it has never been seen before.
Through the help of AI and ChatGPT the students took the famous Renaissance play and changed the setting to 1920s Weimar Germany, to not only explore the dynamics of racial injustice at the time but also to present Othello in a new, refreshing light.
To add to the changes implemented by the students and the Almost Human group, who aided production, several characters had their genders switched. Othello and Iago were played by female actors while the vital characters Desdemona and Bianca were both played by male actors. This was done seamlessly and did not negatively affect the plot of the play; rather, it added to the uniqueness of this event.
Invaluable to any production of Othello is the portrayal of the character Iago, an essential cog in the eventual tragedy of Othello. In this instance Iago – or Ilsa, as she was presented in the piece – adequately conveyed the two-faced Machiavellian nature of Iago, a feature crucial to the climax of the play. Her soliloquies were well written to emphasise this.
However, partly due to the fact that AI had translated the original Shakespearean iambic pentameter into 1920s English, the usual feeling of anxiety and apprehensiveness that accompanies an Othello production was slightly lost.
Dialogue overall felt slightly out of place and not entirely suited to the serious, tragic nature of the original plot. Although this did provide some comic relief, there was almost too much with many lines feeling unnatural or forced.
In attempting to present Othello in this aforementioned refreshing light, some of the original story and feeling of a Shakespearean tragedy was unfortunately sacrificed.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
This production of Othello was curated by Sheffield Hallam University. Other Off the Shelf Festival events can be found here.
