This summer, one of Cape Town’s most iconic and best-loved theatres celebrates its diamond jubilee. For 60 years, since its inception in 1956, an annual Shakespeare play has been staged under the stars at the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre which is now regarded as one of the most beautiful open-air theatres in the world. Next year will see a performance of Othello.
Maynardville’s 60th anniversary coincides with another very auspicious anniversary for the Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon as 2016 marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in 1616. Throughout 2016, theatre companies across the globe will pay tribute to William Shakespeare’s lasting legacy as the world’s pre-eminent playwright.
Having staged Shakespeare for over a decade, Artscape has selected to revive their critically acclaimed 2015 production of Othello in partnership with the City of Cape Town. Hailed as “a triumph” by the local press, Othello drew such large audiences in 2015 that additional performances had to be added and the run extended. This will be the second time in Maynardville’s 60 year history that a play is revived by popular demand. The last play to hold this distinction was Ken Leach’s 1986 Asterix-inspired production of The Comedy of Errors, which returned to the Maynardville stage in 1987.
Of all Shakespeare’s plays, Othello resonates most within a South African context with its themes of racism, jealousy, passion, obsession and betrayal. These themes powerfully combine in a devastating domestic tragedy that is as gripping today as it was when it was written over 400 years ago. The play is a major attraction for schools all over as it is currently being studied as a Grade 12 set work and is also open to the public.
Artscape is also pleased to announce that internationally acclaimed Cape Town star, Pope Jerrod, has signed on to play the title role of Othello. Jerrod has proven to be one of South Africa’s most versatile actors having featured in numerous television and film productions locally and internationally such as Safe House alongside Denzel Washington, Taste of Rain, The Lost Future, Hansie Cronje, as well as Stokvel and Isidingo amongst others.
The supporting cast includes Melissa Haiden as Desdemona, Marcel Meyer as Iago, Lee-Ann van Rooi as Emilia, Stephen Jubber as Cassio, Matthew Baldwin as Roderigo, Faniswa Yisa as Bianca, Robin Smith as Brabantio, Daniel Richards as Lodovico and Siya Sikawuti as Montano and The Duke of Venice.
Award-winning duo, Fred Abrahamse and Marcel Meyer return as the creative team for this production. Abrahamse & Meyer have achieved international recognition for their innovative Shakespeare productions which include A Midsummer Night’s Dream Shakespeare’s R&J, The Tragedy of Richard III and their most recent production of The Tragedy of Hamlet which proved immensely popular with audiences and critics at the 2015 National Arts Festival, Grahamstown.
Othello is directed by Fred Abrahamse (whose previous Maynardville productions include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo and Juliet) with set and costume designs by Marcel Meyer, lighting design by Faheem Bardien and original score by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder.
The production runs from 26 January till 23 February 2016.
Tickets are available at
Computicket or Artscape Dial-a Seat on 021 421 7695.