OTHELLO - 2017
25th - 29th July - Dartmouth Castle
Dartmouth Shakespeare Week.
Not so much a blog, more a huge and heartfelt thank you really.
The sun was out (mostly), the rain fell (heavily), but everybody shone, in every way, all of the time.
Many people have posted elsewhere (Friends of the Inn Theatre Company on Facebook, Twitter [@InnTheatre], Instagram etc) and said thanks to their cast-mates, their colleagues and their families and said what a very special production this was.
Members of the audience, whether they saw the production outside at the Castle or inside when we transferred to St. Petrox church, have been more than generous with their praise for the show as a whole and for the cast in particular.
“I have never experienced such emotional and powerful acting…”
As the director this year, I have to say they are not wrong. The thing about the Inn is that, when they come together for this yearly production, they are a family. No doubt. It matters not a jot (not a jot!) if it's somebody's first time with them or their tenth, they are the Inn. Simple. They work together, they help each other, they have enthusiasm for what they do and an obvious and deep affection for not only theatre but for Shakespeare too.
“This year’s performance was, yet again, outrageously good…”
“All the cast were faultless, but the performance of Othello
himself was outstanding.”
We had, as far as I can tell, one of the strongest casts we have ever had up at the castle. And, when the rains came (Friday and Saturday night) they took a deep breath, went and had a look at what was a completely different performance area and got on with the job. To stunning effect.
“Yet another stunning production breathing life into the
Bard’s great works.”
The play becomes an utterly different animal when you place it within the confines of a space such as a church.
The audience are, by it's very nature, that much closer to the action and the actors have to move so very differently when they are here to the way they have rehearsed in the vast space that is the castle.
Our amazing musicians and technicians rose to the challenge with equal professionalism and aplomb. And Desdemona, who had the almost impossible task of singing the Willow Song to amplified music without the aid of any mics herself, was quite simply magnificent.
“Amazing production!
I still have a lump in my throat.”
My Assistant Director, my Stage Manager and my Props Manager did just that: managed - and managed with a surety and confidence that made me a very happy director!
And the actors, after their initial deep breath when seeing the church (some of them for the first time - we never rehearse there beforehand. Maybe that's the only 'superstition' we have: if you don't go there, you won't need it!) walked around, ran some lines and put their heads together, figuring certain scenes out (particularly those with sword-play) and discovering new ways to add to their scenes, always taking into account the fact that they were surrounded by the audience, some of them mere inches away. But always remembering that others in that same audience were on the other side of a building that had vast, thick columns blocking some of their views.
“I felt so emotionally charged and involved as I watched the
excellent and dynamic acting from all the cast.”
But Dartmouth Shakespeare Week is, ostensibly, an outdoor production in a location that is, in every way (I believe) the equal to any other outdoor space, anywhere. It is stunning. And for a company to take a production that is, for want of a better analogy, two pints and squeeze it into a pint pot and not lose any of the flavour, the drama or the heightened emotion...well...I can't thank them enough for all the effort and energy they put into it every single night.
“I think last night was the first time I have not only
understood (Shakespeare) but felt involved.”
And as you can see, the sun did shine for three of the nights!
All the cast members have been listed and thanked in other places (see above) so I shan't do that here (the listing bit!) but I will just say that I have had the most incredible time, over the last three months or so, working with a bunch of people who, at every single turn, defy the name 'amateur' as it seems to be understood by too many people!
All these wonderful folk are, in every way, true professionals - and a couple of them are (as understood by those same people who smirk at the mention of amateurs...) and have given of their time, as we all do, for nothing. Absolutely zilch; nada; naught.
And finally, if you managed to catch Othello at the castle - or in the church - I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did and a huge thank you for supporting us and live theatre.
“Tonight’s Othello was just bloody amazing.”
“The vision for the production was truly inspired and the
final production was breathtaking.”
“My son and his family, who are not natural Shakespeare fans, were pretty well blown away by the
production.”
“…up there with R.S.C. productions, quite possibly above
them too.”
