Race riots in Othello

The award-winning Frantic Assembly theatre company have brough their unique take on the bard's tale of paranoia, jealousy, sex and murder to the stage for four nights, finishing tomorrow.

Frantic Assembly's Othello is set in Yorkshire during the race riots of 2001, a time which saw terrible divisions and some unexpected alliances.

Othello’s passionate affair with Desdemona leaves him open to jealousy and attack — with devastating consequences.

Violence is a way of life and reputation is everything.

Mark Ebulue, recently of the RSC and a former kickboxer, plays the title role alongside Steven Miller as Iago, known for his four-year stint as Lenny Lyons in Casualty (BBC TV), with Kirsty Oswald (The Judas Kiss, The Winter's Tale) as Desdemona.

This co-production between Frantic Assembly and Theatre Royal Plymouth is directed by Scott Graham, Artistic Director of Frantic Assembly, who won the TMA Award for Best Direction for the original production.

Frantic Assembly are also movement directors on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, winner of seven Olivier Awards, which has recently won great acclaim in the West End and on Broadway alongside numerous other shows.

Talking about his setting for the company’s adaptation of Othello, director Scott Graham said: “This heightened racial tension, this volatile mix of white, Asian and a much smaller black community began to present the story of Othello played out across the race riots of West Yorkshire in 2001.

“This made the play resonate with us. It became something we could approach.”

Also among the cast are Leila Crerar and Richard James-Neale, who will reprise their roles form the original 2008 production as Emilia and Roderigo respectively.

Tickets for Othello at Cast Theatre are £19.50 — £16.50 for concessions — and are available from Doncaster Ticket Office on 01302 303959 or www.castindoncaster.com.