Meet the Cast of Stafford Festival Shakespeare 2016: Othello

Our meet the cast interview today is with Oliver Wilson, who is playing Othello. This is his first year at the Stafford Festival Shakespeare. Oliver has a love of Shakespeare, which sparked from his time at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) performing Seven Ages of Poetry.

 

 

This is your first year being involved in Stafford Festival Shakespeare.  What made you want to get involved with the performance?

The most interesting thing for me is the fact that it is an open air setting. I’ve never had the opportunity to be involved in an open air production before, and I have heard great things from the actors who have been involved in previous years.

How do you feel about being part of one of the largest open air Shakespeare events in Europe?

It’s certainly going to be a memorable performance for me! I’ve been passionate about Shakespeare for a long time, so being part of such a large Shakespeare festival as we commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death is a real privilege.

The Stafford Castle is not your typical setting, have you performed in any other unusual settings before?

I have done scenes and projects with a company called 1623 in Derby, which puts on Shakespeare performances in unconventional settings, but all my previous full scale productions have been in theatres.

Could you tell us a bit more about Othello, and what he brings to the play?

Othello is a successful leader and a warrior who is at ease in any environment - be it with soldiers, diplomats or dukes. He is a strong moral character with a good sense of right and wrong. The really interesting thing about him is how he is can be really hard when he needs to be, but his character softens a little as he falls in love with Desdemona.

What is it that you most like about Othello as a play?

Othello probably has the most twists the turns of any Shakespeare play, and it’s impossible not to get caught up in the drama!

 

What is your highlight of this year’s Othello production and setting?

I think the setting is amazing, probably the most impressive I have worked on to date. The audience will also be completely charmed and drawn in by both Othello and Iago – and end up despising them in equal measure!

What do you think will be the highlight for the audience this year?

This year we’re taking on a tragedy, which is a step away from the lighter plays and comedies of previous Stafford Festival Shakespeare productions. It’s a bigger challenge, and I am looking forward to shaking things up! 

The open air production fits particularly well with the nature of Othello, where you’re outside with the elements and it gets darker as the play gets darker. I think the audience will identify well with the drama and grit.
 

Othello is a Venetian Moorish prince who is appointed as a general in the army. After marrying Desdemona in secret, he is tricked by his officer Iago into believing Desdemona is having an affair.

You have until July 9 to see Othello, tickets are available here, or by calling 01785 619080.