Review by Mia Sabrina Mahadir
Summary: Shakespeare Demystified Othello is the latest production by the KL Shakespeare Players. The production was staged at and in co-production with PJPAC and ran from 15th to 19th May 2024.
Zul Zamir as Othello and Nurul Sofia as Desdemona. IMAGE: Goh Bong Hiang
In recent months, the media has been asking women all over the world the big hypothetical question: would you rather be stuck in the woods with a random man, or a bear? The question has brought to light hidden perspectives and even some confusion to men around the world, because most women chose the bear. At the base of it, the question is asking if a bear or a random man will be more dangerous for a woman to face. Shakespeare’s Othello may prove it to be the man after all.
Presented in the usual Shakespeare Demystified format, the production condenses the normally three-hour long play into 100 minutes, with a focus on the play's iconic scenes in original Shakespearean English.
The series is a comeback since their last production of “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” in 2020, where they aim to familiarize audiences with Shakespeare, as they focus on each play’s main plot points, major themes and relevant issues by the end of the performance. Their shows are very popular with educators and students at all levels of study as these productions debunk the myth that Shakespeare is inaccessible, while avoiding diluting the material.
KL Shakespeare Players Ensemble. IMAGE: Halim Berbar
With the changes and growth we all endured post pandemic (personally and artistically), one does wonder if the impact of Shakespeare Demystified (SD) sustains the test of time. The staging followed the SD template: bare stage, minimal props and flexible set pieces, with one fixed lighting design throughout the play (except for the scene where Cassio is attacked in the darkness of night). This proved to be successful with the company’s aim of educating audiences and making Shakespeare accessible for all, as heard by the laughter and attention given by younger audiences and families who attended.
The costume, though simple, is fitting for the play and the use of a different colour for Othello’s suit was a good thought, as Othello (played by Zulhusni Zamir), is a “Moor”. In Shakespeare's time, the term "Moor" referred to anyone who was Muslim or had dark skin. The term was often associated with negative stereotypes, portraying Moors as exotic, mysterious, and even dangerous.
If you are not familiar with the story, Othello is a respected Moor and general in the Venetian army, who secretly marries Desdemona, a noblewoman and a senator’s daughter. Their happiness is threatened by Iago, Othello's ‘ancient’ or ensign (a lower-rank officer), who is jealous and resentful of Othello for promoting Cassio over him. Iago then schemes to destroy Othello by sowing doubts, insinuating infidelity, whispering innuendoes, half-truths, and outright lies to convince him that his wife, Desdemona, has been unfaithful with Cassio. Othello's jealousy consumes him, leading to tragic consequences. From initial disbelief, Othello’s mind is slowly poisoned until it reaches the point of no return.
Lim Soon Heng as lago and Zulhusni Zamir as Othello. IMAGE: Halim Berbar
SD further strives for their educational goal by having narrations between certain scenes that are delivered in contemporary English, punctuating the performance to provide context, character analyses and clarifications of unfamiliar “Shakespearean expressions”. One particular interaction that delighted the audience was the appearance of Fred Tan as a cross-dressing cue card holder that adds humour and lightness to the tense tragedy happening on stage.
Speaking of tragedy, there is domestic violence shown in the play, where Othello slaps Desdemona in public and later in the end strangles her to death. This may come as a shock for some audiences who aren't familiar with the story as the production did not come with a trigger warning. When it comes to Shakespeare and his plethora of plays, I always ask the question of “why this story, why now?”. In relation to “the man or the bear” argument, it comes to no surprise for many women why we chose the bear because we are so familiar with violence against women. So why choose to stage Othello, why these violent scenes, why now in 2024?
Nurul Sofia as Desdemona. IMAGE: Halim Berbar
If anything, Othello made the hypothesis even clearer. As a female theatre maker who has levelled up my artistic intelligence and has widened my hunger for variety, I find myself looking forward to the appearances of the female actors more than the men. Nurul Sofia, who wowed me at KLSP’s production of Odyssey last year, delivered a perfectly charming and compassionate Desdemona. Having trained in Circomedia (namely Acrobatics and Equilibristics & Juggling, or in layman terms, circus skills), her swift and flawless movement brings about a sensuality that I have not seen before in previous SD’s productions.
Paired with Zulhusni Zamir’s burly Othello, their chemistry was highly captivating. Sandee Chew who played Emilia (Desdemona’s maid) was pushed and bullied by her husband Iago (played by Lim Soon Heng) in earlier acts,but then has an outburst in the final scene that really delighted me where she exposes her husband’s cunning plots for all to see. Feminine rage IS all the rage.
Sandee Chew as Emilia and Nurul Sofia as Desdemona. IMAGE: Halim Berbar
At the end of the day, a man can be the most dangerous thing in the room. Iago’s hatred caused the death of many innocent characters, and Othello’s delusional jealousy was enough to turn him into murdering his supposedly beloved wife while she was helplessly trapped in the very bedroom they consummated their love in. (And they said women are supposed to be more emotional).
Perhaps, these male oriented narratives and masculine characters are starting to bore us already, and theatremakers should start thinking about including more female representation and empowerment on stage. Otherwise, since women all over the world already know the man to be so dangerous, theatre should be the first place we can start changing that perspective.
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