Page 159 - FINAL_Guildhall Media Highlights 2019-2020 Coverage Book

Warde (David Buttle) is shocked but, British as ever, tries to keep his composure and jolly
disposition. Ellen Tree (Jasmine Thomas), playing across from Ira in the play-within-the-
play as Desdemona, is excited and a not a little titillated at the idea of being front and

centre at such a pivotal moment of cultural progression. And Henry Forester (Louis
Landau) is a long-standing fan, giggling like a groupie on being introduced.

The Stanislavski quote, “There are no small parts, only small actors” comes to mind here.
Each performer has cast themselves as the lead within their own parts, and it shows.

Lottie Fraser, for example, playing two bit-parts – an actor in Othello as well as Ira’s put-
upon wife Margaret –presents us with two entirely different women, though only her

accent and mannerisms have changed.
But perhaps the smallest and most potent part would be that of Connie, the black
maidservant, played by Deborah Bahi, who speaks little though she is in nearly every

scene. Conversations about race equality carry on regardless of her presence, and in the
few moments of interaction between Ira and herself, we witness a very uncomfortable

and complicated truth: that despite what Mr Aldridge’s being cast as Othello appears to
represent, equality is still a faraway dream.
Adeosun himself carries the weight of his character well, exuding charm, an impossible

ego and a thinly veiled temper. The American accent is a little shaky at times, but for the

most part doesn’t interrupt Adeosun’s dramatic delivery.

The design (Susannah Henry) is artfully done, with the stage slanting forwards, near on

thrusting the cast out in to the audience. It’s a particularly nice touch for the first
performance of Covent Garden’s Othello to be performed away from us, giving us a

sense of being back-stage, and allowing us to see a floating head (Emily Fairn) poking
out of the prompt box, enthusiastically miming along.
The hammy style of acting, fashionable in the 19 century, serves as brilliant comic relief
th
to the deeply uncomfortable and upsetting truths of the black experience during this
period in history. Suggestions that Aldridge should have to ‘win over’ the crowd through

supplication and deference are quite sickening, though it’s hardly a great leap from
conversations still ongoing. A compelling and necessary story, artfully performed and
beautifully presented, and a credit to the Guildhall’s faculty.

Runs until: 17 October, 2019 | Image: Mihaela Bodlovic