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Othello by William Shakespeare Background pack National Theatre: Background Pack 1 Othello Background pack Contents Introduction 3 The National’s production 4 Rehearsal diary Week-by-week 5 Fit-up and technical rehearsal 18 Interviews Adrian Lester 20 Olivia Vinall 23 Rory Kinnear 25 Lyndsey Marshal 27 This background pack is published by and copyright The Royal National Theatre Board Reg. No. 1247285 Research 29 Registered Charity No. 224223 Views expressed in this workpack are not necessarily those of the National Theatre Author Natasha Nixon Editor Emma Gosden Design Clare Nicholson NT Learning National Theatre South Bank London SE1 9PX T 020 7452 3388 F 020 7452 3380 E learning@ nationaltheatre.org.uk The photographs used in this background pack were taken by Johan Persson, except for the front cover photo by Seamus Ryan Click on this arrow, when you see it, for more online resources. Further production details: nationaltheatre.org.uk National Theatre: Background Pack 2 Introduction Welcome to the National Theatre’s background pack for Othello. Through imaginative and innovative in-school, on-site and online activities, NT Learning opens up the National’s repertoire, artistry, skills, and the building itself, enabling participants of all ages to discover new skills and experience the excitement of theatre-making. Our background packs reveal how the National Theatre brings the plays in its repertoire to the stage. They describe the interpretations, processes, design choices and technical methods that have been applied to a particular play – demonstrating how a play could be staged, rather than how it should. If you’ve enjoyed this background pack or would like to talk to us about getting involved in NT Learning activities, please contact us on [email protected] or 020 7452 3388. National Theatre: Background Pack 3 The National Theatre production of Othello This production opened in the National’s Olivier Theatre on 23 April 2013. Characters, in order of appearance Roderigo TOM ROBERTSON Iago, Othello’s ensign RORY KINNEAR Brabantio, a Venetian senator, Desdemona’s father WILLIAM CHUBB Othello, General in the Venetian army ADRIAN LESTER Cassio, his lieutenant JONATHAN BAILEY The Duke of Venice ROBERT DEMEGER Lodovico, a senator NICK SAMPSON Senator JOSEPH WILKINS OfficialsREBECCA TANWEN, DAVID CARR Desdemona OLIVIA VINALL Montano, Govenor of Cyprus CHOOK SIBTAIN Soldiers SANDY BATCHELOR, GABRIEL FLEARY OfficerSCOTT KARIM Emilia, Iago’s wife LYNDSEY MARSHAL Bianca ROKHSANEH GHAWAM-SHAHIDI Gratiano, Brabantio’s brother JONATHAN DRYDEN TAYLOR Soldiers and officialsADAM BERRY, DAVID CARR, DAVID KIRKBRIDE, TOM RADFORD All other parts played by members of the Company Understudies Sandy Batchelor (Cassio), Zackary Momoh (Othello), Jonathan Dryden Taylor (Duke of Venice / Brabantio / Lodovico), Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi (Emilia), Scott Karim (Montano), Tom Robertson (Iago), Rebecca Tanwen (Desdemona / Bianca), Joseph Wilkins (Roderigo) Director NICHOLAS HYTNER Designer VICKI MORTIMER Lighting Designer JON CLARK Music NICK POWELL Fight Director KATE WATERS Sound Designer GARETH FRY Company Voice Work JEANNETTE NELSON Staff Director Natasha NIXON Adrian Lester as Othello PHOTO: JOHAN PERSSON National Theatre: Background Pack 4 Rehearsal diary Staff director Natasha Nixon documented Next: the unveiling of the MODEL BOX, which is always a thrilling moment in any production process. Vicki the seven-week rehearsal period; these Mortimer and Nick Hytner have been working for months extracts from her diary reveal how the on this and there’s a great amount of attention to detail production emerged in each setting. Environment is paramount in the play and is always incongruously set alongside the characters The first day of Othello rehearsals begin with a MEET at one point or another: Othello in sophisticated Venice; AND GREET. This gives the extended National Theatre family an introduction to everybody involved in the production, and a chance for the Othello company to meet those working outside of the rehearsal room on Othello and on other projects at the National Theatre. For the most part, the rehearsal room will be occupied by Nicholas Hytner (director) and myself, the stage management team and the company of 21 actors. However, during this process a few members of the creative team will need to be in rehearsals every so often, such as: Nick Powell, who is composing the music; Kate Waters (Kombat Kate) for fight direction; Jeannette Nelson for voice; and Vicki Mortimer who is designing the set and costumes. This makes the ‘Meet and Greet’ a unique moment in the process when absolutely everybody involved gets together in the same space at the same time. Luckily there is no test at the end of the session, to check that we’ve remembered all the faces and names! or Desdemona in a remote military camp, being two Soon after our Meet and Greet, we settle down with prominent examples. Even on this scaled-down model of great anticipation to hear Nick Hytner talk about his the set, the ornate grandeur outside Brabantio’s house, VISION FOR THE play. Some of the themes that come for instance, and the slick interior for the War Cabinet up involve the differences between Appearance and meeting to the hot and dusty military camp in Act Two Reality and Love and Marriage; and the issue of Race. will have a huge impact. There is nothing slick, ornate The latter theme is important to Nick as he does not want the play to focus on race and, in fact, he argues that it has taken four hundred years for this state to come around: the most contemporary example being Barack Obama’s election to the White House. Indeed, there are relevant references to all of the themes Nick raised. The day on which we hold this first Othello rehearsal turns out to be the day that the bail verdict in the Oscar Pistorius case is announced. Oscar Pistorius case: conflicting accounts As it happened: Oscar Pistorius bail Something equally relevant to Nick’s vision of the play is how we use THE LANGUAGE. The production is set in 2013, yet the play was written in the 1600s. Nick does not want the company to aim for a traditionally recognised way of speaking Shakespeare. They must or remotely beautiful about the military camp in Cyprus. keep it contemporary. This can done by committing The huge concrete blocks, the worn-down and weary to long and clear thoughts, with a firm belief in the mess room, and Othello’s office, are all a far cry from articulacy of the writing. The result of this draws the War Cabinet meeting room in Act One. It will be attention to how remarkable the language is, without fascinating to explore and see how the actors interact labouring the point. Shakespeare is easy really, and we with the space in rehearsals. Stage management have have Jeannette as Voice Coach to ensure the language made a mock-up of the set using stand-in doors, tape is as poetic and honest as Shakespeare intended whilst on the floor to mark out the size of the actual playing seeming contemporary. space on stage, desks, chairs and so on, because the Above: photographs of the model box of Vikki Mortimer’s designs for Othello, showing the Sagittary pub in Venice, and the military camp bathroom. PHOTO COUrtesY OF JonatHON pascoe National Theatre: Background Pack 5 Rehearsals: week one set is currently being built in the National’s workshops, having his wife on campus; his newly-appointed ready for when the show moves to the Olivier Theatre. Lieutenant betraying him with drunken violence; and his After the Meet and Greet and Nick’s talk about the play ensign Iago informing him of Desdemona’s supposed and the set adultery. From Jonathan Shaw’s perspective, Othello design, the is deeply linked to slavery, and his training in hand-to- room empties hand violence and brutality is quickly revealed in these and we are left extraordinary circumstances. As always, the joy of with the cast rehearsing is to see what manifests, what sticks and to and creative discover from the play what tells the truest story of these team for our characters and their journeys. firstR EAD- THROUGH Rehearsals take shape in the first week by reading of the play. In through each scene, asking questions and getting the this very first actors up on their feet to get the rough blocking and read through, shape. A few THEMES keep recurring: the talented cast illustrate The ENVIRONMENT: Nick Hytner impressed upon us such depth of how exceptional it would be to have Desdemona on understanding campus. This is certainly something for us to explore and richness to in terms of, for instance, how the soldiers respond to their characters, her and how Othello behaves around her on his home it is apparent turf, the military camp. It is something that nobody in we are starting Cyprus (where Othello has previously fought and is in a great place. known as a hero) nor any of Othello’s soldiers would Nick has made be used to seeing. The world of love does not fit with slight cuts from the world of war. In Act 1.3, Desdemona steps into a the original crisis meeting at the War Cabinet, another environment script, making the unravelling of the tragic tale more unsuited to an 18-year-old girl. However, delving further contemporary, snappy and unapologetically reaching into this topic of environment, we find it is Desdemona’s to the very core of the action. father, Brabantio, who brings the domestic theme into the meeting when he accuses Othello of drugging and The day ends with a brief talk from Military EXpert, abusing Desdemona. This scenario of a top-secret crisis Jonathan Shaw, a retired British Major-General.

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