Comments on: The RSC’s Othello

By: natasha

natasha — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:23:01 +0000

Natalie’s performance was fine. She was working very hard

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:07:56 +0000

Nothing wrong in principle about comedians performing serious roles but I can’t believe that a blacked-up Minstrel singing “Are You Lonely Tonight” would be part of any performance of Othello. Shakespeare deserves at least a little more respect than this.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 09:10:58 +0000

I agree with you on that. It really attracted attention.

Nice post! I enjoyed reading.

By: john baker

john baker — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:32:20 +0000

They tell me the staff at the West Yorkshire Playhouse are calling the Lenny Henry Othello, the Dudley Moor.

By: Didier Lapine

Didier Lapine — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:38:41 +0000

Natalie Tena is delectable and I’m sure her topless scene will attract attention but I felt her perforamnce was weak.

By: Jim Murdoch

Jim Murdoch — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:22:45 +0000

Yes, people do get in a tizzy about comedians thinking they can be real actors and yet many have gone before Henry and not fallen flat on their faces, Max Wall in Beckett, Charlie Drake in Pinter, John Cleese in Shakespeare, in films Eric Sykes in ‘The Others’ and Ronnie Barker in ‘My House in Umbria’ not forgetting Norman Wisdom as a cancer patient in the TV drama ‘Going Gently’. I’m not sure in Ken Dodd’s Yorick counts. (Seriously – he played Yorick in flasback in Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 film ‘Hamlet’.)

jb says: Thanks for the list, Jim. I haven’t seen the Henry portrayal of Othello, but I can imagine that he brings some warmth to the role. And that is something Othello is often in need of.