Frantic Assembly will bring its acclaimed production of Shakespeare’s Othello to MAST Mayflower Studios from Tuesday 22 to Saturday 26 November.
Blisteringly relevant today, Othello exposes the tension, fear and insecurity buried beneath the veneer of our relationships and how easily that can be maliciously exploited.
Lies and truths are blurred to create a poison paranoia that eats away from the inside, manipulating and destroying, turning a community upon itself.
Frantic Assembly takes Shakespeare’s muscular and beautiful text, combines its own bruising physicality, and presents an Othello firmly rooted in a volatile 21st century.
This is a world of broken glass and broken promises, of poisonous manipulation and explosive violence.
Othello’s passionate affair with Desdemona becomes the catalyst for jealousy, betrayal, revenge and the darkest intents.
Frantic Assembly Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Scott Graham, says: “It is wonderful to be able to take our work back out on tour, to connect and demonstrate the talent of this brilliant cast within a story that feels as urgent and thrilling as ever.”
Five members of the Othello cast and creative team are past graduates of Frantic Assembly’s Ignition programme including Associate Director David Gilbert, Co-Choreographer Perry Johnson, Joe Layton (Iago), Oliver Baines (Montano) and Felipe Pacheco (Roderigo), showing that Frantic Assembly is at the forefront of finding, developing, and providing opportunity for new talent from all over the UK.
Ignition is a free, nationwide talent development programme for young people aged 16-24.
It seeks out under-represented talent in unexpected places, playing a vital role in dismantling barriers that can prevent fresh perspectives from revitalising the arts.
Ignition continues to transform lives, open doors and allows young people to reach beyond what they thought they were capable of.
Tickets for Othello (22 – 26 November) are on sale at mayflowerstudios.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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