Karla Marie Sweet’s adaptation of Othello features a female Iago, references Billie Eilish’s paean to “chest always so puffed” guys and has an astute modern sensibility in its interrogation of gender roles and societal norms.
Sweet’s version is also dramatically taut. Co-directed by Paul Hart and Anjali Mehra, it moves with the pace of a thriller. The Watermill’s intimate stage is occupied by a rotating cube in Ceci Calf’s design, turning to reveal offices of state, nightclubs, boxing rings and bedrooms. Almost cinematic in its staging, the production is driven by a brusque swagger.
