Othello (The Public Theater)
Closed 2h 50m
Othello (The Public Theater)
80

Othello (The Public Theater) NYC Reviews and Tickets

80%
(124 Ratings)
Positive
90%
Mixed
7%
Negative
3%
Members say
Great acting, Absorbing, Intense, Great staging, Intelligent

About the Show

Tony winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson returns to Shakespeare in the Park to direct a new production of 'Othello.'

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Show-Score Member Reviews (124)

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127 Reviews | 15 Followers
100
The evil that men do.

See it if you like Shakespeare, especially his tragedies.

Don't see it if Shakespeare--whether it's one of his tragedies, comedies, or anything else--just isn't your thing. Read more

89 Reviews | 29 Followers
92
Absorbing, Great acting, Great staging, Thought-provoking, Resonant

See it if you enjoy classic Shakespeare and love the story of Othello. Every part is excellently cast, especially Chukwudi Iwuji. The women are epic.

Don't see it if you mostly like Shakespeare's comedies. The language in Othello is notoriously difficult to follow. You'll need to pay good attention.

58 Reviews | 19 Followers
90
Absorbing, Great acting, Intense, Must see, Riveting

See it if you enjoy Shakespeare done in a masterful, accessible way.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy Shakespeare or get bored trying to follow the language. It is rather long.

52 Reviews | 31 Followers
90
Riveting, Masterful, Great acting, Intense

See it if You want to see actors at the top of their game. If you love Shakespeare and want to see a different take on the lead characters.

Don't see it if Don’t like intense story line with no happy ending.

252 Reviews | 61 Followers
90
Absorbing, Great acting, Great staging, Masterful, Must see

See it if You like Shakepeare outdoors, to see great acting, enjoy NYC theatre in the round, to enjoy a beautiful venue in a summer night. Masterful

Don't see it if You don't like Shakepeare, or you don't like being outdoors.

414 Reviews | 70 Followers
86
Absorbing, Entertaining, Great acting, Great writing, Intense

See it if you like Shakespeare's tragedies virtually uncut; an Iago who has humor & can sometimes seem genial (I loved Stoll's performance,many don't)

Don't see it if almost 3 hours is too long for you, you want a totally menacing Iago; don't want the risk of rain or outside noises (sirens, helicopters etc

55 Reviews | 20 Followers
85
Absorbing, Entertaining, Great acting, Epic, Intense

See it if You have an appreciation for Shakespeare, theatre in nature, and great acting.

Don't see it if You don’t like Shakespeare or get nervous by the elements of nature getting in the way of the performance. Read more

51 Reviews | 7 Followers
85
Absorbing, Great acting, Great staging, Epic, Riveting

See it if you like Shakespeare - brilliantly performed and staged!

Don't see it if you don't like Shakespeare.

Critic Reviews (30)

The New York Times
June 18th, 2018

"Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s elegantly staged production is good-looking, well-spoken and intelligent, as easy on the ears as it is on the eyes. But you know that you’re not going to be dreaming about it later, or wishing that you could see it again. It’s a picturesque, nicely paced show that engages without enthralling or unsettling...While Iwuji and Stoll turn in crisp and lucid performances as the great general Othello and his envious ensign Iago, they don’t really stand out in a talented crowd."
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New York Magazine / Vulture
June 18th, 2018

"A satisfying and somewhat safe domestic tragedy rather than an epistemological nightmare...There’s a concrete practicality to nearly every choice, with the result that there’s little here to surprise you, but a lot to keep you entertained...Stoll’s Iago is a revelation. He cannot be written off as a demon, you must instead reckon with the evil in him because it finds a distant echo in the petty jealousies of your own heart."
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Deadline
June 18th, 2018

“An ‘Othello’ that does its best to put the focus on the killer and his doomed Desdemona...It’s an approach that works here and there....Iwuji couldn’t be more straightforward as the fatally jealous ‘Othello’...Stoll plays Iago from an altogether different angle, viciousness disguised as affability...His conversational, contemporary spin contrasts nicely with Iwuji’s more classical delivery – they’re a vivid pair...Most indelible, though, is Wright...Emilia is the voice that rings loudest.”
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New York Daily News
June 18th, 2018

"The primary tone of the accessibly middle-of-the-road revival directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson is beige. Not just because that’s the hue of the arch-filled set, plus some gilded costumes. But because the stakes in this Shakes don’t feel particularly high. Even when people start dropping like flies...The production seldom grabs...Stoll brings a contemporary glibness that leaches gravity...The show’s MVP is Alison Wright as Iago’s wife Emilia...She helps end things on a high."
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The Hollywood Reporter
June 18th, 2018

"Stoll's rollicking portrayal of the villainous Iago in Shakespeare's classic takes some getting used to...His undeniably entertaining performance is the most unorthodox aspect of Ruben Santiago-Hudson's otherwise slavishly traditional staging...The approach feels refreshing...Unfortunately, that lack of daringness also results in the evening feeling stodgy and dull...the production lacks the passion and urgency necessary to make us care about the tragic fates of its principal figures."
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Entertainment Weekly
June 18th, 2018

"Director Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s confidently unfussy staging, and many of the performances by a cast that includes several Public Theater regulars, are a thrill to witness...As villianous Iago, Stoll brings a comic’s timing and puts over even very well known lines as if he is speaking extemporaneously. It is not only a delight to watch, it is a boon to anyone who avoids Shakespeare for fear of missing the meaning...This is a traditional take on the Moor, with all the trimmings."
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AM New York
June 18th, 2018

"The first half of the three-hour production runs smoothly, with fine performances from Corey Stoll as an expressive and jovial Iago and Chukwudi Iwuji as an unfazed, unusually young Othello. Alison Wright also stands out as Iago’s outspoken wife Emilia. But following intermission, as Iago’s scheme to destroy Othello rushes to its bitter end, the production loses its drive and dramatic tension, and the famous final scene is especially ineffective."
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Theatermania
June 18th, 2018

“Santiago-Hudson has successfully led his cast to performances that make all of these characters complicated, contradictory, and fully human...Far from an irrational brute, Iwuji portrays a military man ahead of his time...Stoll's Iago is confident, funny, and relaxed...Wright gives a standout performance...The production's one major misstep, Wieland's synth-heavy original compositions...Luckily, it doesn't much detract from Santiago-Hudson's timely production.”
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