What makes us return to the words of William Shakespeare again and again? In this workshop, we’ll explore that question through the lens of Othello, one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated and controversial plays.
15:45- 16:30
What makes us return to the words of William Shakespeare again and again? In this workshop, we’ll explore that question through the lens of Othello, one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated and controversial plays.
Although Othello deals with serious subjects that still resonate, the play has been reworked by many artists seeking to make it accessible through comedy and popular culture.
This workshop invites you to discuss and compare such examples of Shakespearean adaptation from hip-hop remixes to sketch comedy. We’ll also profile the casting of a black actor as the villain Iago in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2015 production, analysing how the play’s opening scene was staged.
You’ll have the chance to produce your own mini-Othellos in a freewriting exercise, where you’ll inhabit a character from the play and respond to various prompts designed to help you bring them to life for new audiences.
Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. There is no charge to take part.
As a live, participative event, this session will not be recorded but slides and other resources will be shared after the event, where available.