Othello - a modern twist never seen before!

The Assembly Rooms Theatre in Durham is currently holding a performance of Othello, adapted from William Shakespeare’s original play and directed by Jake Murray. 

 

With a modern twist, this play covers a tragedy of love, conflict and passion.  

Supported by The Arts Council of England and presented by Elysium Theatre Company, this highly praised production has been described as:

‘electrifying’, ‘powerful’ and ‘extraordinary’.  

 

Although written in 1603, 421 years ago, it still remains one of Shakespeare’s most shocking and riveting plays.  

With the modern twist of including Obama’s government, this play is not one to miss and it is no surprise that tickets were in such high demand.  

The Assembly Rooms Theatre is a versatile venue, its morals at the heart of its business. 

On their website, there is a section dedicated to Black Lives Matter stating that: 

‘We must listen, have conversations and most importantly, act.’ 

So, it is abundantly clear that this theatre incorporates these issues into their events.  

In fact, they are holding an Othello Panel Talk, where themes of war, race and gender will be discussed ‘by a panel of experts from a wide range of backgrounds’.  

Not only are they clearly a very perceptive organisation that looks at global problems, but they are also up to date with local issues and events.  

For example, their current events are taking place due to the Durham Shakespeare Festival 2024. 

This version of Othello is touring 19 venues across the north, across 5 weeks. 

But the praise for Elysium doesn’t stop there; Mirage News wrote that their production of Macbeth

‘was extraordinary, transporting us into a world of avarice, paranoia and betrayal.’  

Elysium is highly regarded for their tasteful takes on classic plays and reimagining integral pieces of literature and the arts, uplifting and inspiring the community with refined and captivating performances.  

Wordpress interviewed Elysium, regarding this striking production. 

Many view this play as compelling without Elysium’s modernity, but with it, it challenges perceptions and dynamics. ‘Shakespeare’s tragedy was in some ways prophetic in its portrayal of a Black hero’, stated Elysium.  

Set in the context of the Bush and Obama years, director Jake Murray expressed that it is ‘the right entry point for anyone in the North who is seeing Shakespeare for the first time, aiming to create a safe and accessible space for anyone to enjoy Shakespeare. 

 

Ben Okri famously said that, ‘If Othello did not begin as a play about race, then history has made it one’, a quote that is specifically interesting in the climate of the Black Lives Matter movement, and its role in theatre.  

Murray stated that he never believed Othello to ‘be about race’, but rather Shakespeare’s use of a Black hero ‘just like Hamlet, Lear and Macbeth’, challenged and overturned robust stereotypes of the time. 

 

Jake Murray said, ‘What stood out differently? I suppose the absolute modernity of the play.’ He wished to bring in themes of race and inequality, and believes that although Othello was almost radical of the time, he decided to go further with a modern twist.