Review: Othello (Theatre Royal Haymarket)

Review by Daz Gale

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2025 has seen its fair share of standout Shakespeare plays in London, with Much Ado About Nothing at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Bridge Theatre among my personal highlights — and perhaps the best stage adaptations of the Bard’s work I’ve seen yet. As the year draws to a close, there’s still time for one more, and it’s a play that hasn’t graced the West End for quite some time. Could Tom Morris’ highly anticipated production of Othello kill all the competition, or would it prove to be a tragedy for all the wrong reasons?

Exploring the darker side of power, rage and desire, Shakespeare’s epic story of manipulation, jealousy and toxic masculinity explodes on stage, raging to life like never before, to quote the way this production describes itself. In my case, I didn’t have much by way of comparison as I had remarkably never seen a production of Othello before. While I’m sure many in the audience will have seen multiple productions and will be comparing and contrasting, all I could do was take this production at face value. For me, I long for new and exciting ways Shakespeare’s writing can be brought to life on stage, making them exciting and accessible for those who might struggle to follow it otherwise. When it comes to this production of Othello, it ticked every single box, wowing me from start to finish.

The first thing you notice about this production of Othello is its exquisite stage design. Met by a luxurious preset dripping in opulence, it is removed relatively quickly, making way for equally stunning yet extremely varied designs. The intricacy of Ti Green’s design is breathtaking at best, with an incredible use of lighting by Rich Howell and projection by Nina Dunn creating some incredible effects, particularly the realisation of a storm on stage. With fairly dark lighting prominent throughout, it sets the tone perfectly with a gloomy and atmospheric setting, matched by Jon Nicholls faultless sound design. Such is the quality of this design, I found myself unsure if the cast had microphones or were simply projecting - both a compliment to the cast themselves, and the production. Brief but impactful music from PJ Harvey punctuates the story, bringing a rhythm and musicality to elements of the dialogue to great effect.

Packed full of recognisable names and undoubted stars, the calibre of the cast in Othello really speaks for itself, with some of the best acting I have seen on a West End stage this year. Even those with smaller roles make their mark, with Peter Guinness an early standout as Brabantio, and Tom Byrne lighting up the stage with his comparatively brief but fantastic performance as Roderigo. Vinette Robinson masters the art of the slow-burning performance with her time as Emilia, having no trouble staying relatively in the background for a large part, waiting for her own time to shine. The patience pays off, first in a tender and beautiful scene with her mistress, before the urgency of her final scene.

Caitlin FitzGerald has a real warmth to her Desdemona, creating a captivating portrayal that allows the audience to fall in love with her, as Othello once did. Keeping an initial blissful ignorance of the plight of her new husband, FitzGerald masters the complexities of the new bride with a note-perfect portrayal. Luke Treadaway proves another highlight amongst this impressive cast as Cassio, displaying moments of comedy among the more serious and sombre moments, somehow managing a sense of consistency through the chaos he finds himself part of.

Another standout belongs to the incredible force of nature that is Toby Jones. Having proven himself as one of Britain’s best actors time and time again, his turn as Iago is no exception. Nailing the comic timing initially, Jones plants the seeds of his deception and less than honest nature, slowly allowing the truth behind his motives to come out. Iago is pulling the strings for the majority of Othello, and so too is Jones in yet another performance that demonstrates his exceptional talent.

Though his fellow cast members all impress with strong performances, the most mesmerising turn in Othello quite rightly belongs to Othello himself. Step forward, David Harewood. No stranger to the role, having previously played the role at the National Theatre in 1997 and becoming the first Black actor to do so, he returns to that same role 28 years later in one of the most remarkable feats of acting I’ve ever seen. The way Harewood carries himself on stage is second to none, to the extent that words are not needed such is his unrivalled presence. However, when he does speak, it is impossible not to sit up and listen to his every word. The poise and the power he has give extraordinary weight to the words that I have rarely seen in theatre. The result is one of the single strongest performances I’ve ever had the privilege of watching. It is no wonder why Harewood is such a renowned actor, and watching his Othello is watching the very best there is, reminding me how powerful theatre can be when everything aligns, as it has done with Othello.

There is one more star in Othello who deserves every bit of praise, and that is director Tom Morris. What he’s achieved with this production is nothing short of astonishing. Though I can’t compare it to other productions of Othello, that is probably a good thing - what I can say is I can’t imagine a better version of this story playing out on the stage. Every inspired choice felt bold and risky, almost dangerous, yet it paid off spectacularly. The aspect of danger gave this Othello a raw edge, heightening the emotional weight of the climax. I found myself awestruck by the detail, from the transitions to the bold suspenseful staging, with a hint of tension always present, threatening to explode at any moment. Elements of comedy and tragedy are woven together to create a production that is perpetually thrilling and riveting, with Morris executing his vision flawlessly and distinctively.

There is no other way to put it - Othello is a triumph. The direction, the design and the lead performance make one of the strongest plays of the year, and one that is up there with those other two Shakespeare favourites I mentioned earlier. Othello marks the first in a series of contemporary Shakespeare productions from Tom Morris, planned for the West End over the next five years. With the series getting off to such a glorious start, I for one can’t wait to see what Morris has in store next. He may have a hard job matching the ridiculously high bar he’s set with Othello, but given the creativity and craft on display here, I’ve no doubt he’ll rise to the challenge.

Othello plays at Theatre Royal Haymarket until 17th January 2026. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/othello-tickets

Photos by Brinkhoff/Mögenburg