PASSIONATE LOVE IN A PREJUDICED WORLD
In Shakespeare’s most intimate tragedy, director Bill Rauch explores racism, religious bias, xenophobia, and the more disturbing aspects of relationships in the context of our society’s ongoing struggle with polarizing differences.
Consumed by their bigotry, those who praised the Moorish general Othello’s military successes now reject his marriage to Desdemona. The newlyweds are determined to overcome all obstacles, but Othello’s assignment in an exotic new location draws them into the web of his lieutenant Iago, whose resentment and demons know no bounds.
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“An accessible and moving production…Chris Butler gives a beautifully specific performance that wrings every ounce of passion and pain from Othello’s excruciating descent into hell…An effective score and modern sound effects reinforce the striking contemporary relevance of a play so shot through with xenophobia, racism, and misogeny…This recording offers a decidedly American alternative to the more typical British-inflected renditions, making it of special interest to students as well as listeners who may have been put off by Shakespeare in the past.”
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