www.broadwayworld.com: An indomitable African-American actor auditioning for the role of Othello must respond to the dictates of a younger, white director who presumes to better understand Shakespeare's iconic black character. What could possibly go wrong? In this 90-minute, multi-award winning play, this fraught audition turns into an exploration of Shakespeare, race, and America (not necessarily in that order). Fueled by humor and passion, American Moor paints an essential portrait of an American theater unaware of its failures, and of the culture that supports it.
1 comment:
I love that this play exists. I read Othello two years ago and I still love it. It is so very interesting and inspiring to see a new playwright use the classics to create a new play and a new conversation. Keith Hamilton took Othello and turned it upside down and inside out. Though the reviews of the play seem to be not as stellar, most of their issues seemed to be with pacing. Pacing is hard in a play, especially when most of it is long monologues of one character. But the whole point of this play is to be inside an African American actor's head while auditioning for a role he knows better than the white director does. The play is monologue intensive, but what's important is the words that are spoken and how they relate to so many African Americans right now. It also helps white people understand others better. This kind of play also allows for designers for set, lighting and sound to be hugely creative throughout the entire process, which as a budding designer, is amazing.
Post a Comment