Chamber OTHELLO - Director's Notes

It is all about the actor. It takes a long while for a director to learn that simple truth. I directed my first play in 1972 at St. John’s University in New York, and for many years afterward I did what most directors did – imposed my opinion of what the actors should be doing on stage, as in “cross left, sit down, take a sip and act better.” Gradually, I realized how limiting it is to regard theatre as one person’s creation and actors as daubs of paint. Theatre, quite simply, is about them. One goes to the theatre (as opposed to a movie) to see live human beings completely engaged as characters in a story, revealing their own selves through the story’s conflicts and evolving circumstances. At any moment, these people might do something shocking in your presence, and the truth of that moment can change your life. Indeed, without actors there is no theatre. They are more important than the play itself – even if that play was written by William Shakespeare.

Why am I telling you this? Because what you are about to see is an artistic collaboration of many creative individuals on behalf of the actors – the ultimate artists. The concept, to call it that, is mine, inspired by the play, the diversity of critical essays dissecting its meaning, the world in which we live today and the respective artistic skills of the assistant director, dramaturg and designers. We strove to present a version of Othello that would free it from its stated time and place to make it more present. I edited the text with this objective in mind and the fact that we had chosen to perform it “chamber-style,” with only six actors – solid, veteran professionals all. Their charge was to bring the play alive honestly, ransacking their own experiences, feelings, thoughts, desires and fears to give truthful weight to the story, characters and conflicts. Our rehearsals were a thing to behold – lively discussions, constant exploration, daring trial and error, and, ultimately, those Eureka moments that all artists yearn. My job was to inspire them to go further and dig deeper as they confronted the brutal reality of the play. To a one, they never let me down.

So welcome to the world of our Othello, a singular work of art that will exist in time only for a month, but we hope in your memories for many years to come.

 

– Russ Banham, Director