Theatre review: Othello (Frantic Assembly / Lyric Hammersmith)

Othello is the second Shakespeare play this year that I've already got three productions of lined up. Like The Merchant of Venice the first I'm seeing is a return visit to a production I saw some years ago; and like The Merchant it makes for quite a challenge for the future versions to rise to. Frantic Assembly revive their heavily edited, dance-infused version of the play which moves the action from a military encampment in Cyprus, to a violent gang based in a Yorkshire pub called The Cypress. The landlord's daughter, Desdemona (Kirsty Oswald) has secretly married the leader of the gang, Othello (Mark Ebulue.) The secret causes a fuss when it comes out, but it's soon forgotten in the aftermath of a conclusive victory over a rival gang, in which Othello's popular new lieutenant, Michael Cassio (Ryan Fletcher) plays a major role.

Theatre review: The Blood is Strong

Continuing its work representing all four nations of the United Kingdom, the Finborough's latest show looks at the looming possibility of one of those nations getting lopped off the map. Set in 2011, in the runup to Scottish Parliamentary elections that would go well for the Scottish National Party and open the door to the Independence referendum, David Hutchison's The Blood is Strong compares England and Scotland to a long-standing music hall partnership - they don't always get on, but they've been important to each other for too long to throw it away. Alec (Martin Buchan) is a veteran of the Scottish Music Hall, a singer of romanticised ballads still loved by many but unpopular with the nationalists who see this musical tradition as peddling a Disneyfied, saccharine version of their country. Married to the English Maisie (Janet Amsden,) Alex is quietly pro-Union, but his fiercely intelligent daughter feels differently.