Othello

by William Shakespeare

Directed By Mathew Hanley

"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!

It is the green-eyed monster,

which doth mock the meat it feeds on."

July 10-28, 2000

For its second offering of the summer of 2000, HSC presented the classic story of jealousy induced revenge, spurred on by a dark sadistic mind. In the tale of Othello, a foreigner who has risen through the ranks of Venetian society to become a respected general who then weds the daughter of a powerful politician. As he defends his case, Othello eloquently dispenses with the rumor of controlling his wife's will and shows that they were truly in love with each other. Ever ahead of his time, Shakespeare was one of the first to depict an interracial romance that featured two well suited full formed characters. As well, of being ahead of his fellow authors, Shakespeare created the portrait of a sociopath mind in his character Iago. Racked by loathing and revenge, he plots and executes his plans against the Moore, his new bride and all that surround him.

The tragedy of a once noble character taken in by lies and deceits, and lead to destroy his once perfect union was played to a wonderful stylized approach by new director Mathew Hanley. Previously appearing as the Julius Caesar in the 1999 production, Hanley returned to create a world for Othello, that mimicked its island setting of Cyprus. Using a smaller cast, dressed in island white and earth tone island robes, the actors performed a style of theater that always had them on stage participating in the action of the play. Below, Desdemona's cousin looks on as Othello cradles his dead wife. Picture taken during a performance at Grundy Pier, Jersey City, NJ