Anthony Mitchell, Mike Pace, Kaylee Gundling, Olivia Akers, Gabe Thompson, Charles Thomas Budan, Matt Walsh, and Joe Sager in Othello
Othello is one of the great Shakespearean tragedies – but Genesius Guild’s take on Shakespeare's material was much more than tragic.
For those unfamiliar, Othello follows Iago, a lieutenant under the title character’s command, as he attempts to stir up drama and complication in Othello’s life, power, and marriage, which ultimately lead to deception and tragedy across Venice. Directed by Teresa Moore, this production's casting was quite strong, and overall, the show delivered a great deal of momentum and energy.
Now this certainly wasn’t your typical Othello. I enjoyed it, and Sunday's audience seemed to, as well. But in this different approach to the material, I'd say about 90 percent of the show was staged and performed more like a dark-comedy piece, whether intentionally or not. It was thoroughly entertaining, though, and I found myself laughing more than I maybe should have, especially having read the Bard's classic script.
Moore's was a refreshing take, and the dark-comedy angle does make sense, as Othello's is a rather absurd plot. Most of the method regarding the creation of the truest conflict in the piece concerns Iago stealing a handkerchief, and Othello’s paranoia ensues largely from said handkerchief. (So: absurd.) Yet it’s not that the actors overacted the conceit. They simply seemed to have a lot of fun with the material (and were likely encouraged to do so by Moore), and in turn, the audience had fun.
Portraying the title character is Anthony Mitchell, who performed with grace, intellect, and as a distinct contrast in energy with Iago. Mitchell's grounded, poetic delivery of his lines made Othello's slip into paranoia even more impactful, while his final “A word or two before you go ...” monologue was distinctly poetic, and one of my many favorite snippets of Shakespeare’s writings across his canon. This verse delivery was also one of the few times in the show in which the performance broke away from that darkly comic mood, and it was a great moment.
A big driving force for the mood and energy in this production was Charles Thomas Budan, who portrayed one of Shakespeare’s most famous antagonists. Budan had a lively, fresh, and energetic take on Iago. Never once did he drop a line or lose the audience’s attention, and his mannerisms were appropriately sneering, slimy, manipulative, and ironically dishonest. (Iago is constantly referred to in Shakespeare's text as “honest Iago.”). I would also like to take a moment to recognize Budan’s theatrical achievements in the Quad Cities and beyond. Budan. A recent graduate of Pleasant Valley High School (the school I also attended), Budan was accepted into the prestigious NYU Tisch School of Drama, where he will matriculate in the fall. Boasting talent well beyond his years, Budan has had some impressive roles in the area over the past year-plus, at Genesius Guild and elsewhere, and I think I can speak on behalf of the QC theatre community in saying that he’s left his mark; and we cannot wait to see where his career takes him. Congrats, Charles!
Roderigo (Mischa Hooker) is Iago’s right-hand man and one of the many victims of Iago’s manipulation and deception. Hooker and Budan’s contrasting dynamics, with their atypical casting off one another, were cleverly performed and directed, and their differences in age, mannerisms, character energies, expressions, and more were intriguing to watch. Hooker was as wholly committed as Budan; understanding the material well and lending more twisted comic flair to the production's team of already witty, evil, plotting characters.
As Othello’s wife Desdemona, Olivia Akers also gave an honest, clear, and grounded performance., with her clarity in delivery most evident. Moore also added a couple of musical elements to this production, which was a great choice in adding more variation and accessible intrigue, and one of them was delivered by Akers through a soliloquy – the performer's wonderful voice matched her precise understanding of the text.
Michael Cassio (Cole McFarren) is another soldier under Othello’s command, and another used and deceived by Iago. McFarren had some great moments, from ironically trusting Iago to the extreme, to laughing and partying in a lively song-and-drinking scene. This sequence provided another added musical moment, in which Iago is singing (although not well, which Budan leaned into wholeheartedly) and drinking alongside his fellow ensemble of players. And while I do not have enough space to list every stellar cast member individually involved, other standouts in this Othello include Kaylee Gundling whose Emilia (Iago's wife) was empowering and caring, and Guy Cabell, whose grumpy Brabantio, father of Desdemona, delivered lines in a deliberately monotone and stubborn manner. The rest of the actors also appeared completely involved, and seemed to have fun in telling this take on the story.
With costumes by Shannon Ryan, Iago’s magnificent red-and-gold outfit was a nice design contrast to Othello’s olive green, while Desdemona wore a gorgeous white dress that popped and reflected wonderfully on the Lincoln Park stage. The set, designed by Angela Rathman, consisted of well-painted gray walls, as well as a large collection of blue fabric (representing a body of water) covering the space between the stage and audience. While I enjoyed the thoroughly decorated playing area, however, some of the elements appeared to have been attached hastily – the fabric was fastened with visible clamps and a platform still had clear unpainted wood. Finessing some of these elements would have heightened this highly entertaining piece further.
Genesius Guild's Othello was unexpectedly funny, and I think the only pitfall to this was that we consequently lost some of the beauty of the writing. But Teresa Moore’s and her team’s production made Shakespeare accessible, entertaining, and fun – and that matters a whole lot. It was a refreshing theatre experience for all, and a free one enjoyed outside during beautiful summer weather. Go see it!
Genesius Guild's Othello runs in Lincoln Park (1120 40th Street, Rock Island IL) through July 16, and more information is available by visiting Genesius.org.
