There's something deeply unsettling about the racism in Shakespeare's Othello. It is, however, probably as much a part of life in London today as it was in early modern times when Shakespeare chose to include it in the play.
I was fortunate in being able to take 16 young people from Stevenage to Shakespeare's Globe last night. 13 of them had never heard of the play and knew nothing of the story. Three of them have studied it in some detail and had a very different response.
For the 13 new to it, Othello was at first confusing. Once they'd worked out who everyone was - including a stunning Iago from Mark Rylance - they engaged completely. They were shocked by the racism and saddened by the tragedy itself.
An added bonus was fellow audience member Jeremy Corbyn, whose hand I managed to shake briefly before the play began.
No comments:
Post a Comment