#ntathome

[ancient-whimsy]

[notasapleasure]

Othello, National Theatre (2013)

We're not here to talk about my state-instilled Pavlovian response (negative) to Shakespeare. We're here to talk about the one Valid Man in this play: Montano.

I don't need to walk it through, you all know the plot, don't you?

Don't you?

Go check it, I'll wait.

This is a great production, with Adrian Lester (of Hustle swag) as Othello, Rory Kinnear as Iago (yes, he of the Badmingtons from OFMD, playing bad guy bingo) and my BELOVED Lady Sarah from Garrow's Law (forever faves), Lyndsey Marshal as Emilia. I say it's great, though it is a modern setting (military) and....really brought home to me how much I don't think this play adapts to a modern setting at all. Not so much for the racial tension, but for the balance of power between the genders. Anyway sorry yes, we're really not here to talk about that. And the modern setting does mean we are blessed with a slutty t-shirt I have no doubt you'll all adore.

Man of many hats!

Montano was commander of the Venetian army in Cyprus and they were having a Bad Old Time against the Ottomans (yeah, modern setting, I know, just...Shakespeare goggles or whatever). The Duke of Venice decided to relieve him and put Othello in charge instead - and Montano is happy for it! (cf. Iago's response to having his position 'usurped' when Cassio is promoted ahead of him)

I'm afraid the subs in that first image refer to Desdemona, Othello's wife, not Montano 😏

Anyhoo, Othello's arrival coincides with a storm that wrecks the Turkish fleet, and there is Much Celebration! Meanwhile, Iago has orchestrated a fight between Cassio and Rodriguo - knowing that if he can get Cassio drunk he won't be able to control his temper.

No one's going to out-do Montano in drinking Othello's health!

Yes, I made myself figure out an easy-ish way of giffing, finally. I'll take requests later if anyone has any for other scenes...

Montano (totally ignorant of Iago's plans) challenges Cassio to SHOTS SHOT SHOTS (per original script) to Othello's honour.

Best quality? Hims wiggles.

Cassio is getting uh. Angry. And goddy. He tries to get everyone to pray with him.

Iago has a brief chat alone with Montano to claim Cassio is like this all the time and make Montano worry that someone should warn Othello.

Iago's evidently angling for Montano to do so, but he doesn't really get the chance, as Rodriguo, having provoked Cassio as planned, comes running in pursued by Cassio and Montano tries to break it up.

Cassio...really is an angry drunk. Who doesn't like Montano pointing out that he is drunk. An alarm is raised, a brawl breaks out, but Cassio really uh. Has it in for the big guy.

(who hasn't dreamed of climbing him like you're a big cat trying to bring down some kind of glorious ancient megafauna with your teeeth?)

Poor Montano. Bleeding profusely and Othello suggests he started the fight!

Whump fans, I have so many more stills and a little video clip - it will all be available when I'm done watching through the list, which will be very soon now :')

He has to go away and recuperate for a long time (a LONG time, this play is three hours long, which is very long when you already know how it’s going to end and it’s all just yes ok we know it’s a tragedy ok but where’s the goddamn catharsis???), but pops up again with his head taped up at the end. Mainly to stand around looking miserable while the Tragic Ending plays out, but he remains a good man, and that’s rare in this play.

The precise moment he realises Desdemona isn’t just...having a nap while they all argue (???)

Making sure Othello doesn’t get away, but also ready to...run unarmed after Iago. He gives the gun to Desdemona’s uncle and dashes off.

Brings back Iago, then disarms Othello (again)!

Striking a pose

Curtain call!

---

Rating

Dead? Nope! A talent in a tragedy!

Evil? Not at all! The closest character I think I’ve seen him play to Brasso? And even more of a talent to live and not be evil in a tragedy!

Affects the plot? Yes - and the drinking contest isn’t pre-meditated, nor is his good-natured intervention in Cassio’s fight.

I find this play very long. I love a bit of foreshadowing and fated tragedy, but ever since I had to study this in school I found the ending a let-down after such plainly presented and inevitable misery. Montano is only in a couple of scenes relatively early and a couple at the end. They may be good scenes, and I may be able to see much of merit in the rest of the play, but it is a slog. Look at these screenshots though and tell me 3.5/5 isn’t fair, with the t-shirt gaining that extra .5 all by itself.

---

Bonus: some stills from the behind the scenes footage of choreography of the brawl. They’re a bit blurry and a lot are just.....his back. I apologise for nothing.

[unashamedly-enthusiastic]

Edit: it's no longer in YouTube, but it was amazing

I have just watched the twelfth night on the national theatre stay at home special

And OHMYGOD, I normally can't understand a word of Shakespeare without cliff notes and a translator, but this was so good I understood it and laughed out loud SO MUCH

Tamsin Greig of Black Books and Friday Night Dinner is ASTOUNDING as Malvolio

And Doon Mackichan of Good Omens and and Two Doors Down is so good as Feste that I forgot how much I hate all the other characters I've seen her play

It's only up for a week, and you should definitely watch it

[thelonecritic]

Update no one asked for on my quest to find Hedda Gabler:

NT have made an “on-demand” streaming service. It’s in inverted commas because NT is also pulling a Disney corporate move where they are still controlling distribution of product (which is their right I suppose) and guess what play is not in this first release...

I’ll wait...

Yes, Hedda.

So...

[uhlikzsuzsanna]

What's streaming on National Theatre at Home?

Unmissable theatre, whenever you want it. National Theatre at Home is a streaming service with unforgettable British theatre for you to watch any time, anywhere: https://www.ntathome.com

Now available to watch on National Theatre at Home are Amadeus, Coriolanus (Donmar Warehouse), Dara, I Want My Hat Back, Medea, Mosquitoes, Othello, Phèdre, The Cherry Orchard, Three Sisters and Yerma (Young Vic).

With more fantastic plays added every few months, there’s always something new to look forward to. It just keeps getting better.

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Sign up just like other streaming services, then choose whether to subscribe or watch a single play: https://www.ntathome.com

[londonspirit]

Anyone else watching like this??? 🙆‍♀️ #Frankenstein #NTAtHome https://www.instagram.com/p/B_p7vrQKsaY/?igshid=r98kfmy6ggiy

[fjoundfjamily]

me, watching the first half of coriolanus: huh. those rituals seem pretty intricate

me, watching the second half where he kisses his rival, who talks about dreaming of him every night: v i n d i c a t i o n

[ralph-n-fiennes]

NTatHome: Antony and Cleopatra

You can watch Antony & Cleopatra on the National Theatre’s YouTube channel from 7pm UK time on Thursday 7 May for one week.