It looks like we already know which Shakespeare plays will dominate this year: The usually-rare
Merchant of Venice and
Measure for Measure will be much in evidence, and as for
Othello this production at the Rose Bankside is already my second of 2015. Pamela Schermann takes the play out of its military context, cutting the story down to its five central characters who are now City bankers. Othello (James Barnes) has recently promoted young up-and-comer Michael Cassio (Denholm Spurr,) much to the anger of Iago (Trevor Murphy,) who expected the promotion himself. He plots to bring down both men by making Othello suspicious that his wife Desdemona (Samantha Lock) is having an affair with Cassio. It's intended to hurt their careers, but by going for such a personal attack Iago sets off much deadlier consequences.
