Description
Object description
whole: the ten images occupy the majority. The title and main text are separate and positioned across the top edge, in
black, held within brown and white insets. Further text is placed at the centre, in black held within a decorative brown border, and in the
lower right and beneath each image as a caption, also in black. All set against a white background.
image: nine photographs depicting various scenes from the play 'Othello', being acted onstage. The upper right image is a portrait of
Othello, in profile.
text: OTHELLO
THE MOOR OF VENICE
by William Shakespeare
1
'Call up her father, rouse him.'
Iago (Andre van Gyseghem) conspires with Roderigo (Geoffrey Colvile), a foppish Venetian, to inform Brabantio that the Moor is planning to
elope with his daughter, Desdemona.
2
'I here do give thee that with all my heart
Which, but thou hast already, with all my heart I would keep from thee.'
Brabantio (Gwilym Edwards) attempts to disgrace Othello in the eyes of the Duke of Venice. He is foiled by the unexpected appointment of
Othello (Alan Badel), who has already married Desdemona (Christine Russel), to be Governor of Cyprus.
3
'King Stephen was a worthy peer,
His breeches cost him but a crown;
He held them sixpence all too dear,
With that he called the tailor lown.'
Arrived in Cyprus, Iago furthers his wicked plans by making Michael Cassio (William Eedle) drunk and involving him in a brawl; as a result
Othello deprives Cassio of his commission.
OTHELLO, one of Shakespeare's six monumental tragedies, completes the repertory of the Army Topical Theatre Unit (together with the two
modern plays described on sheet 64, May 11, 1946) in their Middle East tour. With a magnificent economy of scenery and dramatic use of
lighting, they can dispense with the curtain between scenes and acts, thus returning to the simplicity of the Shakespearean production.
The play describes how Othello, a Moor appointed to command the Venetian forces in the Eastern Mediterranean (C.-in-C., M.E.F. as it were),
is brought to destruction by the jealous scheming of Iago his adjutant (ancient is the term Shakespeare uses). Special mention must be made
of three members of this fine caste; Geoffrey Colvile, who gives a good portrait of the ill-used Roderigo; the selfish villainy Iago, as
acted by Andre van Gyseghem; and the masterly performance of Alan Badel as the tortured Moor. They are well supported by the grand team-
work of the rest of the company who are their own scene shifters and electricians.
4
'O, beware, my lord, of jealousy.'
Iago sows the seeds of suspicion in Othello's heart by hinting quite falsely that Desdemona is deceiving him with Cassio.
'Not now, sweet Desdemona; some other time.'
In her innocence, Desdemona pleads for the re-instatement of Cassio, thus fanning the flame of Othello's suspicion.
5
6
'Give me the proof.'
Othello now insane with jealousy demands concrete evidence of his wife's infidelity from Iago.
7
'My lord, I have not deserved this.'
Othello insults and strikes Desdemona in public, after receiving a despatch from Venice telling him he is superceded by Cassio.' [sic]
8
'What noise is this? ... Who's there?'
Othello, having strangled Desdemona, is disturbed, as he finally smothers her with the pillow, by a knocking at the door.
'Will you, I pray, demand this demi-devil
Why he has thus ensnared my soul and body?'
Othello, bewildered to discover Desdemona's innocence from the lips of Iago, and in despair at the wrong he has done her, stabs himself
with the words:-
'I kiss'd thee ere I kill'd thee: no way but this,
Killing myself, to die upon a kiss.'
The verse that Iago sings in (3) is taken from a contemporary folk-song called 'The Old Cloak.' You can find all eight verses of it in the
Oxford Book of English Verse. The first line runs 'The winter weather it waxeth cold.'
Pictorial Review
No. 67
JUNE 1, 1946
Crown Copyright reserved
Army Education M.E.F.
Physical description
Pictorial Review No. 67.
An Army Education sheet for two other productions performed by the Army Topical Theatre Unit was also produced (see PST
16935).