Review of Othello by Iqbal Khan on behalf of the Royal Shakespeare Company

1. Costume

1.1. Created by Fotini Dimou

1.2. Modern dress to match themes

2. Music

2.1. Score composed by Akintayo Akinbode

2.2. Central to the performance

2.3. Included a rap battle between Cassio and Iago to Shaggy's 'Mr Bombastic' to appeal to a younger audience

3. Star rating

3.1. My overall rating would be 4 Stars

4. Lighting & Set Design

4.1. Designed and created by Ciaran Bagnall

4.2. Venice, including the home of Othello and Desdemona

4.3. Cyprus, the then militarily strategic island

4.4. Water was the joining theme between the canals of Venice and mediterranean waters of Cyprus

5. Groundbreaking casting

5.1. The first time a black actor, in this case Lucian Msamati, has been cast as Iago for a Royal Shakespeare Company performance of Othello

6. Directed by Iqbal Khan 2015

6.1. Made his Royal Shakespeare Company debut in 2012, directing Much Ado About Nothing

7. 'Noble moor' Othello character dissected

7.1. waterboarding and other torture methods sanctioned by Othello, showing his flaws

8. Key themes

8.1. Power & Privilege

8.2. Masculinity

8.3. Militarisation

8.4. Racism

8.5. Love

8.6. Betrayal