Montana Shakespeare in the Park's "Othello" ends in tragedy. Desdemona lies dead, strangled by her husband. Emelia, Iago's wife, has been stabbed by her husband and Othello, having learned of Iago's deception, stabs himself and kisses Desdemona's lips one last time before he dies.
The stage for the Montana Shakespeare in the Parks production of "Othello" is assembled at each location and then taken apart and packed for travel as the troupe moves on throughout Montana and the surrounding states.
In the beginning of the play, Othello and Desdemona are happily in love. Iago stands to one side and speaks flattering words to establish his reputation as a good friend and honest man.
Othello tries to choke Iago when Iago first suggests that Desdemona is unfaithful.
SEELEY LAKE – Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage introduced its 2018-19 performance season Aug. 23 with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks' production of "The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice." Affiliated with Montana State University, MSIP has traveled for 46 years throughout Montana, as well as into border communities in Idaho, North Dakota, Wyoming and Washington to bring free professional performances of Shakespeare and other plays. This marked the first year they have produced "Othello."
Scheduled to perform at 6 p.m., the MSIP troupe didn't arrive at the Double Arrow Lodge grounds until 3 p.m.
Former 2VS Director Carol Evans said when she got there shortly after 3 p.m., "There were pieces of the stage spread all over the lawn."
It looked chaotic, but there was a method behind the madness. The troupe quickly and efficiently assembled the pieces into a two-story stage, and the lawn soon became strewn instead with chairs and blankets carted in by the audience members.
The differences between Renaissance English and modern English were bridged by the actions and attitudes of the performers, and the audience quickly became immersed in the love of newlyweds Othello and Desdemona and the devious machinations of Iago.
Shakespeare's play introduces the element of racial prejudice, for though Othello has risen to the rank of general in the army of Venice, many see him only as a black man, a Moor – by definition, an African infidel. His marriage to a white woman Desdemona causes even more racial bias to surface.
Yet even the theme of prejudice is overshadowed by the artful manipulation of almost every cast member by Iago. Iago's reasons are complex, but his determination to destroy Othello's reputation are dogged and diabolical. He focuses first on destroying Othello's love for Desdemona. Because the audience is privy to Iago's every scheme, they know the innuendos Iago drops and the stories he feeds Othello are all lies. At the same time, Iago schemes so well that the audience also understands why the Moor believes everything "honest Iago" tells him.
Accounts of early performances of the play relate instances where audience members shouted out warnings in an attempt to warn Othello and avert the impending tragedy. But then and now, the actors must carry out the dictates of the script, and the play continued to its inevitable, deadly conclusion.
As the MSIP crew took apart their stage, the audience packed up their chairs, commenting to one another about how good the production was, how ingenious the staging of the ending bedroom scene.
New 2VS Director Kirsten McGlynn acknowledged the production was her first time seeing a MSIP play. She said, "It was very cool. Now I'm a forever fan. I'm glad we host it every year. It's a great way to kick off the new 2 Valley's Stage season."
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