I recently had the pleasure of seeing one of William Shakespeare's most controversial plays, Othello, performed beautifully at The Gilbert Theater in downtown Fayetteville. The charming theater, found on the second floor of Fascinate U Children's Museum, cleverly transformed into Cyprus. In this seaside city, mischief lurks around every corner.

Though simple, the show's set, designed by Vicki Lloyd, is highly effective in creating a sense of claustrophobia and urgency throughout the show. While the story's events take place over several days and move throughout different locations, the minimalist set design suggests a shorter timeline, making the play's tragic end all the more shocking.

At the play's start, Barbantio (played by Michael Ormiston) is informed that his daughter, Desdemona (played by Brianna Little), has eloped with a Black Moor, Othello (played by Josh Anderson), and he is none too pleased. Othello, a general and decent man with a good reputation, falls victim to the evil machinations of Iago (played by Michael Carney), a lower enlisted soldier driven by petty jealousy. Using no other weapon save for defamation, rumor and psychological manipulation, Iago is a poison that destroys all who run afoul of him.

True to Shakespeare's tragedies, a few characters provide much-needed comic relief. The play hosts enough soldiers, suitors and servants to keep the audience entertained.
While each actor in this play is worth noting, standouts include Anderson as Othello and Carney as Iago. This central relationship is riveting and, at times, challenging to watch. Anderson and Carney have a natural ease with one another on stage, making Iago's betrayal of Othello difficult to witness. Anderson brings an emotional vulnerability to the tragic-hero role. Carney's turn as the duplicitous Iago is nothing short of chilling.

Directors Lawrence Carlisle III and Montgomery Sutton have put together a fantastic show with a clear focus and biting commentary. The language screams "Shakespeare," but at no point does the play seem unapproachable or hard to understand. Issues of race, misogyny and the corrosive nature of envy are approached boldly but thoughtfully. The audience is left with a lot to ponder by the show's end.

In addition, the lighting design of Vicki Lloyd skillfully supports the drama unfolding on stage. Her clever use of light and color is a rich accompaniment to the play's darker themes. The costumes feel purposeful as each character is dressed to suit the nature of their position while remaining accessible. The characters' khaki pants, suit jackets and skinny jeans remind the audience that they're not so different from the people up on stage.

I wholeheartedly encourage you to see this production. Sutton and Lawrence create a taut psychological thriller that pulls you in from the first scene. If you're looking for something thought-provoking, culturally relevant and just plain entertaining, then come out and support these fine actors!

Othello runs Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. through April 10th at The Gilbert Theater, located at 116 Green St. For tickets, call 910-678-7186 or visit their website at https://gilberttheater.com/.