Review Round Up: Othello, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Tom Morris’s production of Othello at the Theatre Royal Haymarket features David Harewood, Toby Jones, and Caitlin FitzGerald. The performance has drawn a mix of critical responses, each highlighting different aspects of the staging and acting.
The Stage
“David Harewood and Toby Jones star in Tom Morris’ overwrought staging.”
The Guardian
“Harewood’s Othello holds your attention with his physical presence and imperial quality, the sniffs, smirks and tics in the lead up to his murderously wounded rage. He is so captivating to the other characters that they are frozen as he tells of meeting Desdemona at the start. He woos them, and us.”
The Independent
“David Harewood reprises the titular role in a starry production that grants more power to the play’s women, but ultimately dulls its edge.”
The Standard
“What we have here is stately West End Shakespeare, well-spoken and measured, directed by Tom Morris and designed by Ti Green in a way that feels curiously adrift from the modern world. The production could have happened in the 1990s, the 1970s, probably the 1950s: even PJ Harvey’s bizarre and sporadic score seems quaint.”
WhatsOnStage
“But the three central performances, all in their different ways, fail to gel. Harewood’s Othello is impressive in stillness; the moments when he is gazing at Desdemona full of wonder hint beautifully at the depth of feeling he contains.”
Summary
Critics praise Harewood’s commanding presence but question the cohesion and modern relevance of Morris’s otherwise elegant production.
Author’s summary: Reviews of Tom Morris’s Othello commend David Harewood’s strength and stillness while finding the production refined yet emotionally uneven.