Othello

The Northern Broadsides and West Yorkshire Playhouse production of Othello, starring Lenny Henry in the title role, will transfer to the Trafalgar Studios from 11 September following a sell-out, regional tour.  

Love, racism, jealousy and desire are at the emotional core of Shakespeare's monumental tragedy, a tender love story shattered by one man's obsessive hatred of another. Othello is noble, brave and victorious. Iago, passed over for a position in the army, fuels his diabolical revenge with hatred and snarling racism. Poignant, intense and heartbreaking, Othello mercilessly explores every inch of the human condition.

Daily Express 21/9 Paul Callan
"I was moved to near-tears when his features collapsed into crushed misery when he thought Desdemona had deceived him"

Evening Standard 21/9 Henry Hitchings
"Henry's stage presence is substantial"
"His physical bearing is impressive; he conveys both power and stillness"
"This is a performance of dignity, which peaks when Othello's jealous inferences begin to grip his whole being"

The Times 21/9 Benedict Nightingale
"Lenny Henry as the besotted husband of Jessica Harris's Desdemona will stick in the memory longer than most"
"Barrie Rutter's production has the directness, simplicity and economy of décor that have given his company a national reputation".

Observer 20/9 Kate Kellaway
"What is best about the evening is the overwhelming sense of the love between Othello and Desdemona and Henry's comic gift underpins his tenderness"
"He sweeps the audience off its feet"
"As Othello, Lenny Henry is - in every sense - a towering presence".

The Daily Telegraph 21/9 Charles Spencer
****
"Henry has now deservedly arrived in the West End - and his performance is more impressive than ever"
"The night's triumph, however, belongs to Lenny Henry in one of the most startling career transformations I have ever witnessed"