Trevor Nunns Production of Othello, part 1

Trevor Nunn's staging of Othello was the unrivaled hit of the season when the RSC first performed it. As the London Times noted, this production "...is arguably the best thing that the [RSC] has done in the last five years." Othello is a chamber piece perfectly suited to the video medium, and this production allows Trevor Nunn's staging to reach the video screen in all its minimalist glory. With far fewer characters than Shakespeare's other tragedies, and no subplots, the play has an unparalleled simplicity which this production captures. Ian McKellen gives a "mesmerizing performance" (said the Daily Telegraph), and his Iago has more than ever before become the central character of the play. Othello is played by Willard White, the Jamaican operatic bass, in a vivid and rich performance. Imogen Stubbs breaks out of the mold cast by Peggy Ashcroft, to deliver a new Desdemona. As the London Times summed up, this production is "...as near to perfect a piece of television drama as you can get." (3 hours 30 minutes, color