Othello Tickets
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For fans of Shakespeare, the story of Othello and Desdemona is certainly a timeless classic. A simple, married couple is played upon by Iago, resulting in the death for some and lifelong regret for others. If you are a fan of the original story, you will absolutely love the remixed version of it that is now going to be shown at Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare. This hip-hop adaption of William Shakespeare’s legendary tale will have you glued to your seats for all the right reasons. Get your hands on these Othello tickets and do not miss out on this amazing opportunity to catch the Shakespearean classic staged like never before.
Let’s take a look at what the original Othello was and how this remix version takes on it.
Shakespeare’s Othello
Othello is a hired general in the Venetian army and is a Moor. He has just married the young aristocrat, Desdemona. But things are doomed between the two from the very start. Roderigo, who is madly in love with Desdemona, is pumped by Iago to inflict harm to the couple, to satisfy his personal vendetta against the Moor. Iago is upset that Othello promoted Cassio over him as lieutenant and seeks revenge. So he plans to devise a whole scheme that would make Othello believe that his wife is involved with Cassio. On one hand, he plants this idea into Othello’s head causing a rift between him and his new lieutenant, Cassio. On the other hand, he urges Cassio to talk to Othello’s wife and see if she can help him get back into the good books of the Moor. This is when Iago suggests to Othello that his wife and Cassio are romantically involved. And thanks to a certain handkerchief (Othello’s first ever gift to Desdemona), which turns up in Cassio’s possession, Othello ends up falling for the trap that Iago has so beautifully laid out. Seeing this, Othello ends Desdemona’s life. But soon finds out the truth. He is so devastated by remorse and sorrow that he ends up taking his own life.
Othello: The Remix
And now this beautiful tale of love, deceit and wickedness is being brought to life in a different way – a more current and relatable Othello for a variety of different audiences. MC Othello escapes the ghetto through his talent of giving beautiful tunes to the stories of the locals in the hood. As he starts to become famous in the music industry, he falls in love with Desdemona, a beautiful young singer whose vocals help him achieve greater heights of stardom. Soon the two get married and MC Othello has to go on tour. Other members in the crew for the tour include Cassio, a pop music rapper and Iago, a largely underground lyricist. As the story unfolds, Othello decides to release Cassio’s album next, to try and reach a greater audience. But this decision angers Iago, and he soon starts to plot a way to take the famous star down. For this, he gets the help of Roderigo, a lighting designer on tour, who happens to be in love with Desdemona himself. As Iago’s plan unfolds, Othello starts to doubt Desdemona and believes that she is involved with Cassio, a situation further aggravated by Cassio’s untimely bizarre outburst. Cassio is kicked out of the group and Iago asks Roderigo to murder him. But this murder plan fails and Iago ends up killing Roderigo. Othello, by this time cannot control himself and kills his own wife in a fit of anger. But soon as the truth is revealed to him, by Emilia, Iago’s wife, Othello is overcome by regret and grief so strong that he ends up taking his own life.
The run time for this show is 80 minutes, without any intermission and it is not recommended for children, as it contains adult language. Othello: The Remix is written, directed and composed by GQ and JQ, and has been developed with Rick Boyton.
The show has gotten pretty good reviews from critics and fans alike. It has been called “a clever and exuberantly performed hip-hop version of the (original) play”. The unlikely combination of Shakespeare and hip hop gives the audience exactly what good entertainment looks like. Do not miss out on the opportunity to catch this amazing performance live. Grab these Othello tickets now and head on over to Chicago for a Shakespearean experience unlike anything you have ever seen before.