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A scene from 'The Tragedy of Othello.' Jeeves de Veyra

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Jeeves De Veyra

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1764382884856scene.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="A scene from &#x27;The Tragedy of Othello.&#x27; Jeeves de Veyra"/>A scene from &#x27;The Tragedy of Othello.&#x27; Jeeves de Veyra</div>While watching “The Tragedy of Othello,” it occurred to me that the antagonist, Iago, is the OG fake news troll.“Othello” has been produced on stage and screen many times for its enduring themes of racism, love, jealousy, and deceit. This minimalist production staged by Everyman Presents at the Collab Cove inside SoFA Design Institute at Rockwell hits in a different way as it puts the cast up front and center.The play follows Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, who secretly marries Desdemona, a noblewoman. Their happiness is destroyed by Iago, Othello’s ensign, who feels wronged and plots revenge. Through chicanery and manipulation, Iago fires up the general’s wrath by making it appear that his wife is having an affair with Othello’s lieutenant, Cassio. Overcome by jealousy, Othello kills Desdemona, only to learn too late that she was innocent. Overcome with guilt, Othello takes his own life, while Iago’s treachery is exposed.With almost a barebones production, it was up to the cast to do justice under the direction of Everyman Presents founder Carl Cariño to do justice to this Shakespeare classic.And do justice, they did!It is a study of how the characters change through time. Miguel Vasquez’s Othello starts out with an easy rapport with those around him. It becomes an increasingly stark contrast to his descent into darkness. Rachel Coates’ Desdemona is a flighty manic pixie dream girl deeply in love with her man but ends up as a woman desperate to prove her innocence to the irrational beast consumed by the green-eyed monster her husband has become.It’s Dean Rosen who soaks up the scenery and steals the spotlight as Iago. His portrayal borders on caricature and stereotype complete with an evil sniggering laugh. He adds dimensions to his Iago that further emphasizes his villainy like a nervous tic turning a talon-like karambit into a fidget spinner. I hated the guy’s guts, and yet I couldn’t wait until he got on stage again.Emilia is given a clueless appeal by Issa Litton having Iago play her like a string. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it bits of levity by Litton such as Emilia slinking sheepishly into the background as her scheme unravels were appreciated.To reiterate, this is a minimalist production. I haven’t seen “Othello” in years, and I have forgotten the story and the characters. The luxury of thumbing through a playbill was just not there. But my apprehensions were for naught as everyone was easily identifiable and I could followCarino actively looks for alternative venues for theater having staged “Romeo and Juliet” in a dressmaking shop in Poblacion. The Collab Cove has its pluses and minuses. I was lucky to be able to come in early and choose my seat. They recommended the back most seats and I could see and hear why.Even if the stage was small, there were times when the sizeable cast was all on stage that many things were going on. Being high up and at the back provided a wide angle to see everything happening.Notably, the production used no microphones, relying instead on the cast’s projection to carry every word. The room itself amplified the sound — crowd scenes echoed with voices and shouts, punctuated by catcalls from actors offstage. In one sparring sequence, as Vasquez pummeled a full-body cushion, each heavy thump landed like a warning shot, foreshadowing the violence to come.My misgiving was when the play gets loud (and it does get VERY LOUD and shouty). From where I was at the back, it does get jarring, and I could just imagine how overwhelming it can get for the audience up in front. I was enthralled by this version of “Othello.” While I felt the racist themes were not as obvious, the destructive nature of deceit and jealousy still rings true. Its relevance during this era of alternative truths should not be ignored .Cariño and his players proved that Shakespeare can still be relevant,
that Shakespeare can be compelling,
and most of all, that Shakespeare can still be for every man.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1764382849836curtain call.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The cast at curtain call. Jeeves de Veyra"/>The cast at curtain call. Jeeves de Veyra</div>Everyman Presents will be restaging “Romeo and Juliet” and “Othello” early next year. Please follow @everyman.presents for show announcements and schedules.

Everyman Presents strips Shakespeare’s tragedy to its essentials, delivering an intimate ‘Othello’ that highlights the destructive power of lies, jealousy, and manipulation.

Everyman Presents strips Shakespeare’s tragedy to its essentials, delivering an intimate ‘Othello’ that highlights the destructive power of lies, jealousy, and manipulation.

Theater review: Minimalist ‘Othello’ exposes OG master of fake news

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Theater review: Minimalist ‘Othello’ exposes OG master of fake news

Jeeves De Veyra

Published Nov 29, 2025 04:01 PM PHT

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theater review

Everyman Presents

Othello

Shakespeare

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