Thanks to my Mom for sending me a box of documents and pictures I discovered from my last trip home. I was sifting through my photos and stumbled upon this beauty. If I recall correctly, this is from a 1997 production of Othello: the Moor of Venice from the now defunct Washington Shakespeare Festival in Olympia, Washington. As you see we have the title character standing next to his leading lady, Desdemona.
For those of you who do not know the play: Othello is black.
For those of you with poor computer screens or severe eye damage: the man is in black face.
Okay, all right. To be precise he is in bronze face. He is a Moor after all. You know... for accuracy.
From what I recall, the theater company had cast an African-American for the part, but he dropped out of the production right before rehearsals started. In a panic that must have completely obliterated the region of the brain that governs common sense, they decided to cast a white guy in the title role. And, I mean, not even one with a decent tan. I'm just saying.
Needless to say, it was an embarrassing experience that went relatively unnoticed in the press. I'm not sure if I'm thankful or deeply discouraged by that. After all, some of the great actors of modern history have played the jealous Moor: Olivier, Hopkins, Patrick Stewart, and Howard Jensen to name of few. This fellow unfortunately (and not surprisingly) paled in comparison to those Caucazoids that came before him.
It was a terrible show needless to say. Just terrible. After the first time this poor fellow came charging into a scene wearing a leopard-print caftan and the entire cast erupted in hysterical laughter, I pretty much knew we were finished. I'm very happy to say I had a very forgettable, and very small part in the production. Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Othello#Othello.27s_racial_classification
ReplyDeleteTo the best of my recollection, there was no such discussion about this information when we were doing the play. The director took the imagery literally and wanted him of a darker hue.
ReplyDeleteThe intellectual examination of this and other "taboo" subjects are so radically different when thrust into the realm of actual experience.
The Patrick Stewart reference in the entry is true. The Shakespeare Theatre of DC produced that production. I walked by the poster of it every day when called to places.
Yes, but that's justified by the fact that he was the one white guy in an otherwise all-black cast, no? Sort of a photo-negative take on the racial questions in the play - though there was plenty of debate on whether it was any good.
ReplyDeleteDude. Leaving town for good NEXT FRIDAY??????????????