Othellos, Cyprus Theatre Organization (Charalambous, 2010)

Othellos, Cyprus Theatre Organization

Translated into Greek and directed by Nikos Charalambous for the Cyprus Theatre Organization. Performed at Latsia Municipal Theatre, Nicosia, Cyprus, 27 November 2010, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the proclamation of Cyprus as an independent Republic on 16 August 1960, after eighty two years of British rule.

Othellos is the Greek name for Othello. Most male names in Greek end in “s”. For example, Andreas, Demetris, Giwrgos, Sophocles, Kyriakos. Iago becomes Iagos in Greek.

Scene Description by Eleni Kyriakou Pilla <Eleni.Pilla@nau.edu>

Shown in the video clip is the eavesdropping scene in Othellos.  Iago is on the stairs of the auditorium with Cassio and jokes about Bianca. Othello, whose face is shown above the stage, watches Cassio and Bianca argue about the handkerchief and mistakes Bianca for Desdemona. The projection of Othello’s reactions on two sides of the stage evokes the fragmentation of Othello’s identity now that he has succumbed to Iago’s lies. Othello’s vision is constricted because he is behind bars which also indicate his enslavement to Iago. When Bianca and Cassio exit, Othello and Iago appear on the stage. While Iago puts out the candles suggesting Othello’s descent into darkness, Othello laments that “such a beautiful woman should sleep with such a trash.”  The scene ends with Othello emphasizing his pain: “I hurt Iago, I hurt.”