Othello Trip

On Thursday the 23rd of February, some of Elgin Academy’s teachers and senior pupils were lucky enough to travel to Eden Court to view a remarkable new production of Shakespeare’s Othello, directed by Clint Dyer. Starring Giles Terera and Rosy McEwen, this revisited classic was perfectly executed, illustrating the famous tragedy that is Othello, and the way in which certain themes and more notably jealousy, brings his downfall.

One of the most notable purposes of the trip was to help improve our understanding of the entire play, additionally preparing students for the Higher English exam in a thrilling and enjoyable way. This included many of the incredible special effects used which provided us with a deeper insight into the emotions and actions of certain characters. With an ‘on-stage audience’ as well as captivating lighting and sound, the production as a whole was exceptionally unique and had a very modern take.

This is further recognized by Beth from S5, who mentioned in a discussion that for the exam, “seeing the play as a whole helped my understanding of the significance of the quotes”, showing that watching the entire drama has allowed pupils to more clearly appreciate certain lines that have been emphasised with stage directions and effects. These more particularly affect the course of the entire play, proving to be valuable to remember during exams.

During the break, there was also an input from the director and other members of the production team, which offered us with some background knowledge on why certain choices were made, delving into more serious themes, and also having an informative discussion on the topics of racism and sexism which are extremely prevalent throughout the play.

Beth continued by saying, “I think all Othello productions are very different as all producers have a different take on it, but this one was good.” Ultimately, the opportunity to view a fascinating and special production of Othello has proved to be beneficial for many students, providing not only helpful preparation for the final exam in May, but also a productive and entertaining trip to acknowledge and enjoy one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays.