Written by Jessica Evans and translated by Iestyn Knox
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Othello: National Theatre Live, dir. Clint Dyer. Viewed via National Theatre Live link on 23/02/23, 19:00
Like many, I’ve often found myself deterred by the exclusivity and unaffordability of live entertainment. As a student in the midst of a cost of living crisis, a trip to the theatre is rarely an expense I can justify, no matter how tempting the description in the programme may be.
So when a friend told me about Aberystwyth Arts Centre’s series of streamed special events, I didn’t hesitate to check it out for myself. They offer a high quality theatre experience, at reduced prices, from the comfort of the Arts Centre cinema. It seemed like a dream come true. I was also pleasantly surprised by the broad range of productions available; from The Royal Ballet in London to the New York Met Opera, there really is something for everyone. I therefore wasted no time booking myself in to see one of my all-time favourite plays, William Shakespeare’s Othello, on 23/02/23.
Directed by Clint Dyer (Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical) and starring Giles Terera (Hamilton) and Paul Hilton (Lady Macbeth), the 2022-23 National Theatre production combined brutalist concrete staging with clean lighting changes and a seemingly omnipresent ensemble cast to achieve an overall eerie and immersive experience. The production was not at all hindered by the level of removal that came with watching from a distance. If anything, watching from the cinema gave the added benefit of constantly changing camera angles and clear sound quality, so the audience was always granted the best possible view of the stage.
As for the production itself, the play was full to the brim of top quality performances from both the main and supporting casts. Terera’s rendition of the titular Othello was captivating, and he commanded the stage masterfully in every scene he was in. Hilton’s performance was also nothing short of electric, balancing the contrasting humour and vileness of his antagonistic villain Iago in a way that few before him have managed to do so well. Rosy McEwen (The Alienist) and Tanya Franks (EastEnders) also delivered wonderful performances as Desdemona and Emilia respectively, but it was in the second half of the play that Franks took the lead and overshadowed her onstage counterparts. Around Act 4 of the play, her character, ignited with a new sense of rage and injustice, begins to fight back against her oppressors, and Franks played into this fiery indignation spectacularly. Emilia’s limited stage time did not withhold Franks from making an effective, lasting impression on the audience.
The interval itself also featured a pre-recorded discussion between Dyer and members of the play's production team, who discussed everything from the relevance of Shakespeare's work in a contemporary society, to the importance of preserving the key themes of the play. It was nice to get an inside perspective on the minds of the production team, and be able to understand why they made the creative choices they did.
Overall, the experience offered high quality entertainment at an affordable price, and the convenience of the location was an added bonus. The Arts Centre's student concession prices also help to ensure that the best theatre, dance, and opera from all across the globe is as accessible as possible to local students.
A few of their many upcoming events in March and April include the National Theatre's Life of Pi, the Royal Ballet's Cinderella, and the West End sensation Heathers. I'll be sure to return to the Arts Centre very soon to see another one of these performances.
To view the Arts Centre cinema's full programme of upcoming special events, including performances from the NY Met, the Royal Opera House, and the West End, please visit their website at https://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/
Welsh language link: https://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/cy
Othello: National Theatre Live , cyf. Clint Dyer . Gwyliwyd trwy linc National Theatre Live ar 23/02/23, 19:00
Fel llawer, rwyf yn aml wedi cael fy rhwystro gan natur gyfyngedig a cost anfforddiadwy adloniant byw. Fel myfyriwr yng nghanol argyfwng costau byw, mae’n anaml bod taith i’r theatr yn gost y gallaf ei chyfiawnhau, ta waeth demtasiwn y disgrifiad yn y rhaglen.
Felly pan ddywedodd ffrind wrtha i am gyfres o ddigwyddiadau arbennig yn cael eu dangos yn fyw gan Ganolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth, ni wnes i oedi cyn edrych arno fy hun. Maent yn cynnig profiad theatr o safon uchel, am brisiau gostyngol, o gysur sinema Canolfan y Celfyddydau. Ymddangosodd fel breuddwyd wedi'i gwireddu. Cefais fy synnu ar yr ochr orau hefyd gan yr ystod eang o gynyrchiadau oedd ar gael; o'r Bale Brenhinol yn Llundain i Met Opera Efrog Newydd, mae wir rhywbeth at ddant pawb. Felly ni wastraffais unrhyw amser yn bwcio fy hun i weld un o fy hoff ddramâu erioed, Othello gan William Shakespeare, ar 23/02/23.
O dan gyfarwyddiad Clint Dyer (Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical) ac yn serennu Giles Terera (Hamilton) a Paul Hilton (Lady Macbeth), roedd cynhyrchiad y Theatr Genedlaethol 2022-23 yn cyfuno llwyfannu concrit creulon gyda newidiadau goleuo glân ac ensemble a oedd yn ymddangos yn hollbresennol. cast i gyflawni profiad iasol a throchi cyffredinol. Nid oedd y cynhyrchiad yn cael ei rwystro o gwbl gan lefel y tynnu a ddaeth gyda gwylio o bell. Os rhywbeth, roedd gwylio o'r sinema yn rhoi'r fantais ychwanegol o newid onglau camera yn gyson ac ansawdd sain clir, felly roedd y gynulleidfa bob amser yn cael yr olygfa orau bosibl o'r llwyfan.
O ran y cynhyrchiad ei hun, roedd y ddrama'n llawn perfformiadau o'r safon uchaf gan y prif gast yn ogystal a'r cast ategol. Roedd dehongliad Terera o Othello yn hudol, a bu'n rheoli'r llwyfan yn feistrolgar ym mhob golygfa yr oedd ynddi. Roedd perfformiad Hilton hefyd yn ddim llai na thrydanol, gan gydbwyso hiwmor cyferbyniol a ffieidd-dra ei ddihiryn gelyniaethus Iago mewn ffordd nad yw llawer wedi llwyddo i wneud mor dda. Cafwyd perfformiadau gwych hefyd gan Rosy McEwen (The Alienist) a Tanya Franks (EastEnders) fel Desdemona ac Emilia yn y drefn honno, ond yn ail hanner y ddrama aeth Franks ar y blaen a chysgodi ei chymheiriaid ar y llwyfan. O gwmpas Act 4 o’r ddrama, mae ei chymeriad, wedi’i thanio ag ymdeimlad newydd o gynddaredd ac anghyfiawnder, yn dechrau ymladd yn ôl yn erbyn ei gormeswyr, a chwaraeodd Franks i’r dicter tanbaid hwn yn syfrdanol. Ni wnaeth amser llwyfan cyfyngedig Emilia atal Franks rhag gwneud argraff effeithiol, barhaol ar y gynulleidfa.
Roedd yr egwyl ei hun hefyd yn cynnwys trafodaeth wedi’i recordio ymlaen llaw rhwng Dyer ac aelodau o dîm cynhyrchu’r ddrama, a fu’n trafod popeth o berthnasedd gwaith Shakespeare yng nghymdeithas gyfoes, i bwysigrwydd cadw themâu allweddol y ddrama. Roedd yn braf cael persbectif mewnol ar feddyliau’r tîm cynhyrchu, a gallu deall pam y gwnaethant y dewisiadau creadigol a wnaethant.
Ar y cyfan, roedd y profiad yn cynnig adloniant o safon uchel am bris fforddiadwy, ac roedd hwylustod y lleoliad yn fonws ychwanegol. Mae prisiau consesiynau myfyrwyr Canolfan y Celfyddydau hefyd yn helpu i sicrhau bod y theatr, dawns, ac opera orau o bob rhan o'r byd mor hygyrch â phosibl i fyfyrwyr lleol.
Mae rhai o'u digwyddiadau niferus sydd i ddod ym mis Mawrth ac Ebrill yn cynnwys Life of Pi y Theatr Genedlaethol, Sinderela'r Bale Brenhinol, a Heathers o'r West End. Byddaf yn siŵr o ddychwelyd i Ganolfan y Celfyddydau yn fuan iawn i weld un arall o’r perfformiadau hyn.
I weld rhaglen lawn sinema Canolfan y Celfyddydau o ddigwyddiadau arbennig sydd i ddod, gan gynnwys perfformiadau gan y NY Met, y Tŷ Opera Brenhinol, a’r West End, ewch i’w gwefan yn https://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/.
Linc Cymraeg: https://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/cy.