In
the last seven years I have seen most Ten Thousand Things productions, and I have never
been disappointed. The company has an affinity for staging Shakespeare plays,
which are terrific; the overall creative and artistic effort always seems to
increase in those instances. "Othello" is no exception. In fact, it may
be the strongest and most intense performance put on by this remarkable theater
company.
The
Ten Thousand Things theater group performs in unconventional locations, such as
prisons, or home shelters, but also in standard settings. The lights are left
on, and there is no traditional stage; instead, the play takes place in the
rectangle formed by the chairs of the audience. The actors change costumes for
their multiple roles on the sides of the room, in plain view. They also
frequently interact with the spectators, asking rhetorical questions or
pointing out certain props. Sometimes they even sit with the audience. This
Brechtian approach to staging generates unmatched levels of energy in the playhouse.
We, the audience, are physically drawn into the action, and we become actors
ourselves, and an actual part of the play. In the case of "Othello,"
the intimacy created between spectators and actors further fuels the intensity
of a tragedy that relies so heavily on human emotion.
"Othello"
is co-directed by Michelle Hensley, who is usually at the helm of the Ten Thousand Things
productions, and talented actress Sonja Parks. Their direction is precise, but
the strength of the play comes from the fantastic acting of the seven men and
women involved in the project. The passion and verve exhibited by the actors
are smoothly highlighted by the live score provided by Peter Vitale, who is truly a one-man
orchestra. He makes great use of the percussion instruments (the djembe drum in
particular), but is equally skilled with the accordion and various foley
devices.
However,
in the middle of it all, it is Luverne Seifert's sublime Iago that deserves most
praise. He manipulates not only the actions of the other characters but also
the emotions of the audience. He is funny and subtle; he is forceful and
defiant, sinister and appropriately clad in green as he exudes the jealousy
that has made his character notorious. By alternating between these moods,
Luverne Seifert manages to capture the very essence of one of the most complex
Shakespearean villains.
At
the other end of the emotional spectrum, Othello (Ansa Akyea) is equally great, but in a more
powerful and obvious way. He commands the stage, and displays relentless
passion throughout. His voice thunders, and when he is standing a couple of
feet from you, that sonic force amplifies and seems to make the room vibrate.
Desdemona, his love interest, is played by Tracey Maloney, who provides the perfect
counterpoint to Othello's brute strength. She is delicate and fair, but matches
him step for step in the climactic murder scene. If Ansa Akyea's energy is more
palpable, Tracey Maloney's is more subdued, and comes from within. During the
final scene, these two opposing forces collide and the spectators, much like
Desdemona, are left breathless.