Othello

We went to see an acclaimed production of Othello at the National Theatre. Adrian Lester played the Moor and Rory Kinnear Iago. Mr Lester was excellent and Mr Kinnear astonishing. The latter's body language was a masterclass in itself. The inexplicable malevolence of Iago mirrored in the nervy contortions of his frame.

I worked with actors before on a short film and was unsure how to direct them. The textbooks say directions must be specific and avoid abstraction. I wrote the script and found myself unable to explain why they would say what I had scribbled. You live and learn. From speaking to thespians a good performance is instinctual - you give them instructions and they assemble the character . Whoever you cast determines the performance .

 

The director of Othello in the (overpriced) programme wrote a good piece on the Bard and acting. He noted that Shakespeare was an actor and he wrote plays not novels. The novel contains multitudes while a play implies them. Each performance of a play is different with endless possible interpretations by different actors.

 

He also said something that was a relief. He admitted he couldn't follow some of Shakespeare's plays for the first five minutes or so because of the language. I have trooped for the cultural porridge of an unfamiliar play and panic as I cannot figure out the hey nonny nonny. I am not alone with the dunces hat.

 

I have tendered notice on my gainful employ and been offered part time work in lieu to retrain . I have to make a decision.

 

The attached photo is of a statute from Anne Hathaway's cottage at Stratford upon Avon. Given Othello's wracked jealousy it seemed appropriate.