Love, jealousy and power. A deadly combination, some would say. The American Players Theatre production of Othello emphasized these themes, making it relatable to the audience. Othello has been performed for centuries with many different interpretations. The American Players Theatre production of Othello directed by John Lang shows the harmful influence of power, and how it leads to deception and corruption. By highlighting universal themes of love, jealousy, and power, the American Players Theatre production of Othello made this play relatable to a modern day audience.
For me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of this play was the set. John Lang’s choice of a minimalist stage allows the audience to focus on the themes in the play, allowing the audience to focus on the characters without the distraction of a large set. Without this distraction, the audience was able to see the amazing character development within the play. Othello, once an honorable man, eventually went so far as to kill his loving and devoted wife, all because of rumors and lies. The simple stage allowed us as an audience to notice details, mainly because there weren’t that many details on the …show more content…
Iago’s influence and mistreatment of his own wife caused Othello’s mistreatment. When Desdemona and Othello eloped, everyone believed that Othello had bewitched her to disrespect her father’s wishes. Iago allowed his wife to be verbally accosted by his men, and kissed by many during the travel to Cyprus. The toxic environment Iago created caused Othello to stop believing his wife was faithful. APT’s interpretation emphasized this change, in a heart-wrenching way, because the audience feel Othello’s pain. His acting was so relatable because everyone has been jealous at some point in their lives. Jealousy and doubt have touched everyone at some point, and seeing this brought to life brings back memories of people’s