Last night I went to The State Theatre in State College to see a broadcast of the National Theatre’s current production of Othello. Directed by Nicholas Hytner, it features Adrian Lester as Othello and Rory Kinnear as Iago. Here’s a bold statement: Rory Kinnear is the greatest Shakeasperean actor of my generation. (He’s 35.) Kinnear’s Hamlet from 2010 was the best I’ve ever seen, and last night’s Othello was similarly a masterpiece.
Hytner is a major visionary as director (he did both Hamlet and Othello). He finds the core of each play and then transports that core into a new era and a new setting. No pandering, just plain brilliance.
But it’s Kinnear who pulls me forward on my seat and makes me hold my breath. He lives the dialogue. He embodies the characters. Watching Rory Kinnear makes me feel as if I’m seeing these works for the first time. If you live in a large town or in a city, there’s a decent chance one of your local cinemas is showing National Theatre broadcasts. GO.
Also, this is the 50th anniversary of the National Theatre, so they’re showing some encore performances, including Kinnear’s Hamlet and Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatch. Also coming up, Macbeth with Kevin Branagh in the title role and Alex Kingston (River Song) as Lady Macbeth; and Coriolanus with Tom Hiddleston (Loki). GO. GO. GO.
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