Bill Buell of the Schenectady Daily Gazette interviewed Othello director Tony Simotes and actors John Douglas Thompson (Othello) and LeRoy McClain (Cassio) to talk about the play’s relationships, issues of race, and what makes Shakespeare & Company’s production so different from others that have come before—specifically, casting McClain, a black actor, in the pivotal role of Michael Cassio.
“I think that ‘Othello’ is one of Shakespeare’s most economical plays because it really moves in one direction and it’s about real people, not kings and queens,” said Thompson. “It’s about love between a black man and a white woman, and those things can still garner a lot of attention today. But what Shakespeare does is make it a positive story. He tells us how strong that love is, and how beautiful and wonderful it can be, as long as there’s no one attacking it from the outside and bringing it down. It’s about racism and friendship, and those things will always be pertinent.”
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Just photographed the IDR and I have to say this is a great production of Othello. So clear, so plain in execution. Lovely! Fantastic!
Thanks for the fantastic review on your blog, Kevin!