Everyman Stages a Hyper-Intimate ‘Othello’ at SoFA Design Institute This November
Everyman Presents continues its first performance season with Othello, a hyper-intimate staging of Shakespeare’s tragedy running from November 8 to 23 at the SoFA Design Institute, Rockwell Center. Eager to explore unconventional theater spaces, Othello marks the first play to be mounted at the venue.
This follows the company’s debut production, Romeo & Juliet (titled RxJ), staged last August at Vestido the Studio in Poblacion.
“I like working in chamber, unconventional spaces,” says director Carl Cariño. “Everyman can do theater everywhere. Theater is for everywhere and everyone.”
The show is led by Miguel Vasquez in the titular role. Joining him in the cast are Rachel Coates and Chez Cuenca alternating as Desdemona, Dean Daniel Rosen and Tarek El Tayech alternating as Iago, Issa Litton as Emilia, Javier Coromina and Patrick Bolton alternating as Michael Cassio, Dana De Leon as Bianca, Edith Garcia as alternate Emilia/Bianca, and Chris Abecia and Stephen Dusaban alternating as Roderigo.
Abridged and adapted by Cariño, the play runs just over two hours including intermission. Cariño strips the tale of its racial and religious overtones, choosing instead to focus on its universal human elements and the heartbreaking love story at its core.
“Perhaps if I was staging it elsewhere, in a place with more overt cultural diversity, I would do it differently. But here, in a Manila staging, I chose to hone in on the jealousy in particular and the way Iago uses his pure intellect for impure ends—and, of course, the love story that is the painful, awful core of this tale,” Cariño says.
Everyman emphasizes clear sound as fundamental to its classical stagings, recognizing that if the audience cannot hear and understand the language, all is lost. The company hopes the audience will be drawn—along with the chamber setting and stark but stylish design—to the clarity of delivery and the beauty of Shakespeare’s poetry.
Production design by Dylan Lopez, assisted by Christine Reyes and Ciara Guillermo, evokes a black-and-white noir atmosphere, with black costumes set against a white background, illuminated by bright white light. The dystopic design suggests a world newly rebuilding amidst the tragic foolishness of man.
Also part of the creative team are Greg Rodriguez and Angel Dayao (music), Irene Romero (lighting design and technical direction), assisted by Jadine Ledesma and Kim Villegas.
Remaining shows will run on November 14 (3 PM and 7 PM), November 21 (7 PM), November 22 (3 PM and 7 PM), and November 23 (3 PM and 7 PM). Tickets are priced at P1,300, available through the group’s Google Form.
Comments