Отелло (НАДТ)

We invite you to NADT for the play “Othello” directed by David Petrosyan. He presents Shakespeare's tragedy as a modern aesthetic fairy tale about the internal war within a person. Through a familiar plot, the performance talks about fear, doubt, trust, and the destructive power of inner demons!

A classic plot with new meanings

The play “Othello” by NADT – is a new interpretation of the famous tragedy by the British playwright William Shakespeare “Othello, the Moor of Venice”. Its premiere took place in late April 2024, and from the very first performances, the production attracted attention with an unusual directorial decision. The director positions it as a fairy tale – without an intermission, lasting 2 hours and 50 minutes, with an age restriction of 14+.

At the center of the story is – the military commander Othello, who tries to become one of his own in the foreign world of Venetian aristocrats. He wins the love of Desdemona, the senator's daughter, secretly marries her, but at the same time becomes a victim of the intrigues of his officer Iago. Offended that Othello chooses Cassio as his deputy instead of him, Iago begins a masterful psychological game, gradually destroying the trust between the lovers.

In David Petrosyan's version, the story gains special depth because Othello mainly conflicts with himself. It is no coincidence that some translations even interpret Iago as Ego – embodying the inner fears, jealousy, and dark sides of the hero’s personality. Desdemona becomes a symbol of light, trust, and high ideals. That is why the performance turns into a drama about the struggle of a person with their own “ego”. And such an interpretation must be seen at least once!

Othello: a fairy-tale reflection on modernity

The play captivates the audience not only with new emphases in the plot but also with stage solutions. For example, part of the play takes place against the backdrop of a ship, whose deck is tilted toward the audience as a symbol of Othello’s military victories. And it collapses as soon as the general loses love in his heart, instead filling it with hatred and anger. Pastel tones and airy textures in the costumes combine with bullet holes on the sails, – a delicate lace of war. And the music not only accompanies the action – it becomes a separate character, filling the space with the noise of the sea, the breath of the wind, and the feeling of fatal inevitability.

The play “Othello” by David Petrosyan – is a story full of reflection on the postwar times that await Ukrainians as well. It is also about how the inability to speak, verify truth, and trust destroys even the strongest love. Outwardly – a beautiful fairy tale, inside – a painful story about the human ego, which can become the greatest enemy.