Wed 3 - Sat 6 June 2009
Wed 10 - Sat 13 June 2009

Traquair House, Innerleithen

Tickets: £10 - £8
Box Office: Eastgate Theatre Peebles, 01721 725777
Pre-show dinner at 1745 Restaurant: tickets available from the Eastgate Box Office
Info: Richard Nisbet
Tel. 01721 723636

Helpful-links
Eastgate Theatre & Arts Centre
Map of Traquair House
Local accommodation - ReceptionBell.com

Othello - Plot summary

The action takes place at the beginning of the 16th century, and is based in Venice and Cyprus during the rule of the Venetian empire. Othello is a Moor, and a renowned general of the Venetian army, who at the beginning of the play has secretly married Desdemona, the daughter of a senator called Brabantio. Brabantio is furious when he finds out about this, as he does not consider a Moor as a suitable match for his daughter.

He is informed of the wedding by Iago and Roderigo, who both have a vested interest in fuelling Brabantio’s anger. Roderigo is in love with Desdemona, and hopes that he might be able to help sever the union with Othello. Iago is the true villain of the play, and is insanely jealous that he was overlooked by Othello who favoured Cassio to the appointment as his lieutenant. He is also suspicious that Othello may have had an affair with his wife Emilia.

Iago plots the downfall of Cassio and Othello, using Roderigo along the way. He does this by gradually working on Othello to persuade him that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair behind his back. He deliberately gets Cassio drunk, and manoeuvres the situation to make him disgrace himself publicly. Othello dismisses Cassio because of this, appointing Iago in his place. However, Iago is not satisfied with this alone, and continues to plot. He works on Desdemona to try and persuade Othello to reinstate Cassio. At the same time he suggests to Othello that her pestering on Cassio’s behalf is actually a sign of her infidelity. Desdemona is completely innocent and naive, and does not realise that her over-zealous petitioning for Cassio could be so interpreted.

Iago has a stroke of luck when a handkerchief, a very special gift from Othello to Desdemona, falls into his hands. He knows that this has a very intimate and special meaning for the couple, and when his wife Emilia finds it and gives it to him, he is quick to use it effectively. He arranges for it to be dropped in Cassio’s room. Cassio finds it, and gives it to his mistress Bianca to make a copy of. (Bianca is a “lady of the night” with whom Cassio has an on-going relationship).

Iago engineers a meeting with Cassio, with Othello listening in from a hiding place. At this meeting he gets Cassio to talk in very bawdy terms about his relationship with Bianca, and suggests that she is a nice strumpet, but certainly not worthy of marriage. Iago has manipulated the start of this conversation so as to make Othello think Cassio was actually talking about Desdemona. This deception is cemented when Cassio produces the handkerchief.

The die is now cast, and Othello is convinced that Cassio and Desdemona are lovers, and that they must both die. Iago agrees to help by ensuring that Cassio meets his death. He arranges for Roderigo to do the deed, persuading him that it would leave the path open for him to gain Desdemona’s hand. Roderigo bungles the attack, and is wounded himself. In the confusion Iago tries to rectify the situation and stabs Cassio, but only succeeds in wounding him in the leg. Iago realises that Roderigo could easily expose him, and so uses the turmoil around the attack to kill him.

Meanwhile, Othello determines to carry out his own part of the deed, and smothers Desdemona. He is discovered by Emilia who is horrified, and calls everyone else to witness what has happened. Inevitably the full story emerges, and it is Emilia who delivers the damning evidence of what actually happened with the handkerchief. Iago is exposed, and in his fury stabs Emilia, and tries to escape. He is caught and dragged back, where Othello attempts to kill him but is disarmed. Finally, distraught at the enormity of his mistake and what he has done to the one he loved, Othello takes his own life.

Cassio survives, and becomes the commander in Cyprus. Iago is a prisoner, and is promised a painful and grisly end.