Othello (A Johannesburg Market Theatre Production, 1988)

G :-

All Regions - Regular 1.33:1 / 4:3 - Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo - Colour - 200 Minutes (total) - NTSC

The Othello presented here is a controversial and powerful interpretation of Shakespeare's by South African-born actress Janet Suzman. The production was a first in many respects: it marked Janet Suzman's as a director for both stage and television; and it saw the first time an African actor has been cast in the title role, opposite a white actress as Desdemona, in a major production of the play, performed in front of a multi-racial audience in South Africa.

The production proved an enormous success from its first performance at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg - one of the few multi-racial venues in South Africa in 1987, provoking strong reactions from the audiences and wider community. It features Tony Award-winner John Kani as Othello and Joanna Weinberg as Desdemona, in a production that was fresh, raw and all the more powerful for the context in which it was performed.

Also included is a brief contextual introduction written and presented by Janet Suzman, explaining how this production came about and the significance of Shakespeare's for South Africa at that time.
"...remarkable. A powerful production" Daily Mail
"...refreshingly clear and gripping" The Independent
"...a production that made you rethink Othello - and marvel once again at how Shakespeare can never be out of fashion" The Listener