Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington - courtesy of Vogue
Last Saturday, I had the exceptional experience and immense privilege of seeing Denzel Washington (2x Oscar-winner and one of the overall undisputed GOATs in the acting world) and Jake Gyllenhaal (my favorite actor ever) star in Kenny Leon’s Broadway production of Shakespeare’s Othello at the Barrymore Theater in NYC. Othello is only running for a very short time, so it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see two sensationally talented actors perform on a live stage together from such close proximity. As a film lover, a particular fan of Washington and Gyllenhaal, and an admirer of Shakespeare, I can’t think of anything I’ve ever been more excited for.
Plus, I met Jake Gyllenhaal AND he signed my playbill, so it was essentially a perfect night.
Show Details
Brief summary of Shakespeare’s Othello
“The play is set in motion when Othello, a heroic black general in the service of Venice, appoints Cassio and not Iago as his chief lieutenant. Jealous of Othello's success and envious of Cassio, Iago plots Othello's downfall by falsely implicating Othello's wife, Desdemona, and Cassio in a love affair.”Brittanica
Jake Gyllenhaal as Iago
Denzel Washington as Othello
Molly Osbourne as Desdemona - her Broadway debut!
Director Kenny Leon made the creative decision to set the play in 2028, which allowed for a modern interpretation of the centuries-old story.
Key universal themes explored in Othello include betrayal and manipulation, trust, classism, and racism.
A component of this play I enjoyed so much was that it was all dialogue and quite wordy, versus a typical Broadway musical production with singing, dancing, etc., which I largely prefer to the latter. I also read a physical copy of Othello prior to the show, so I fully understood the plot, conflict, and themes when I saw the production live. The Barrymore Theatre is relatively intimate in size and implemented a zero-electronics policy, which made the theater-going experience all the more special.
The performances of Gyllenhaal and Washington were outstanding, each in their own right. Gyllenhaal had significantly more dialogue and stage time, but Washington had a more commendable, powerful presence on stage, if that makes sense. Of course, the ensemble cast was remarkable as well, with each member adding a crucial element to the plot.
“This is a play about the struggles of all time,” he says. “The struggle to be a human—to love, to trust, to be curious, to grow, to heal, all of that; take away everything except what makes us naked, pure human beings, that’s how people can find themselves in this story.” - Kenny Leon, Vogue Magazine
Iago was obviously the villain, but I found that Jake brought a unique emotional depth to the feelings of betrayal the character experienced. Gyllenhaal has extensive experience playing a soldier/military member in films, including Jarhead (2005), Source Code (2011), and The Covenant (2023), which I wonder may have aided him in taking on this role, especially because this was his first time doing Shakespeare. Likely, he also had more time to prepare, as Washington was on the Gladiator II press tour in November and early December, and stage rehearsals began in early January.
@jakegyllenhaal
Othello, the presumed protagonist, was flawlessly portrayed by Washington, who had actually played Othello previously in a drama production he participated in during college. He also had experience in other Shakespeare productions, including The Tragedy of Macbeth on screen and Julius Caesar on Broadway. The portrayal of Othello included more “dramatic” elements in comparison to Iago, including (spoilers) murder and suicide, which were tastefully performed by Washington.
It was intriguing to see two primarily film actors on stage, given how different the preparation is for them, as well as how they carry out the portrayal of their characters in a one-take, on-stage environment.
“In the popular imagination, the ‘Other’-ness of “the Moor,” as Othello is often called, boils down to race. Yet as Washington points out, lines in the play suggest that the peculiarity of his marriage to Desdemona has as much to with age—she is young, whereas Iago refers to Othello as “an old black ram,” and Othello describes himself as having “declined into the vale of years.” …Class is also a factor: Othello is an ex-slave-turned-soldier who has worked his way up, on the strength of his formidable talents, to a high-ranking military position; Desdemona is the daughter of a powerful politician in Venice, where the play is set. She’s sheltered; Othello is a man of the world.”
Jake Gyllenhaal, Denzel Washignton, and Kenny Leon - Vogue Magazine
+ Film Recommendations
Washington - well-loved classics
The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
American Gangster (2007)
Malcolm X (1992)
Gyllenhaal - incredibly underrated
Nocturnal Animals (2016)
Demolition (2015)
Enemy (2013)
I could not have pictured a better modern-day presentation of Othello with a more stellar cast, costumes, and creative direction! An utterly mesmerizing show and theatergoing experience I will treasure forever.
Thank you for reading!
@jakegyllenhaal
“I think that still gives me the greatest joy: acting onstage.”- Denzel Washington
I can’t imagine ever topping this Broadway experience! ❤️⭐️💫