OTHELLO -- Teatr Modjeska, Legnica, Poland

script: William Shakespeare
adaptation: Krzystof Kopka
director: Jacek Glomb
cast: Przemyslaw Bluszcz, Rafal Cieluch, Pawel Palcat, Bogdan Grzeszcak, Aleksandra Motorniuk, Tadeusz Ratuszniak, Pawel Wolak, Malgorzata Urbanska, Magda Skiba, Ewa Galusinska, Katarzyna Dworak, Justyna Pawlicka, Anita Poddebniak, Lech Wolczyk
scenography: Malgorzata Bulanda
stage movement: Leszek Bzdyl
music: Kormorany
lighting design: Wladyslaz Sajda
sound technician: Andrzej Janiga
director's assistant: Olga Nowakowska

spoken in Polish

Shakespeare's tale of a strong and honorable leader, betrayed by his own men and tricked into believing the worst about his own wife.

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Wow.

This production took my breath away. I've seen it twice now and come away from it with such powerful emotions and the feeling that I've just seen some of the best theatre I may ever see.

Spoken almost entirely in Polish, I didn't understand any of the words, and yet in this play, I knew absolutely everything that was happening. Perhaps that's a good indicator of a truly well done play?

Although based on Shakespeare's Othello, we never forget that this production has someone credited with the "adaptation." This Othello is the captain of a ship, and the entire play is staged aboard its cramped quarters. With some variation from Shakespeare's story, this works quite well, and the set is brilliant with its simplicity and the remarkable blend of realism and experimental qualities.

The lighting is bare and sets a bleak tone for this voyage. Well crafted and executed.

The sound is performed live and is (pardon the pun) instrumental for invoking the mood throughout the play.

Costumes are brilliant -- nothing stands out as being inappropriate and everyone on stage seemed quite comfortable and natural with what they were wearing.

The performances.... Here, above all, they shine. To the smallest detail, these fine actors brought us aboard their ship and did not let us go until the voyage was over. Whether it was the constant, slight rocking they did, reminding us of the roll of a ship's deck, or their climbing in the riggings and hoisting sails, or the shedding of clothes and dragging themselves about as the ship floundered and they began to lose hope and respect, this cast held us enchanted throughout the journey.

It is hard for me to describe just what they did that made this so special, because each time I try to say what they did that was so wonderful, I realize that this is the goal for every actor, in every play, and it sounds rather corny.

This cast never broke character. there were no sly winks amongst themselves. They never seemed to be putting on a show or just saying their lines. I lived and breathed every moment with every character. Even those in the smaller roles I watched more closely the second time, and they each went about their business as if this ship and it's voyage were real.

Przemyslaw Bluszcz as Othello was perfect. Small in stature, he had a commanding presence every time he entered the stage. I think that the entire audience would have done whatever he told the to do, simply by the power of his presence. The ship lived and died by him, and so this tragedy rests solely on his shoulders.

I can't recommend this play highly enough. I would see it again without hesitation, and I most certainly would like to see anything at all by this remarkable company.