Southampton Daily Echo - 14th Feb

Date Published: Friday 14 February 2003

Review: Passion goes on walkabout
by Rachel Jones

Othello, Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke

THIS is an attempt to make one of Shakespeare's most accessible plays even more so with modern costumes, the occasional northern accent, drunken singing and even some stripping.
It might have worked but for the fact that the passion and tension that have traditionally driven this simple plot of love and revenge are missing.
While they give good individual performances, there is no chemistry between Othello (Ricky Fearon) and Desdemona (Mandana Jones), so you can't quite believe her actions could drive him to care, let alone commit murder.
But then this production seems to be more about soldiers than men and women. Clad in uniforms that make them look like they'd be more at home in South Pacific (and they do break into song), soldiers are seen brawling in marvellously-directed and perfectly-executed action scenes, bonding in an amusing, albeit insincere, way and stripping down to their underpants (for artistic reasons of course).
But what nearly saves the play is Christopher Middleton's Iago. Despite a sometimes monotone delivery, he manages to convey, through manner and sheer presence, an evil charm and a thoroughly chilling calm.
Unfortunately, all this can't quite iron out the flaws and, while there are many things to admire (and Roderigo in love-heart printed boxer shorts isn't one of them), the tragic finale is unlikely to have you reaching for your hankies.