KS4 KS5

Othello - Shakespeare - education resource

Drama English Performing Arts

A woman and a man in military uniform embrace. They are surrounded by other people in military uniform.

Overview

Explore creative aspects of our 2013 production of Othello at the National Theatre with these short films.

Watch a combination footage from the production with interviews from actors Adrian Lester (Othello), Rory Kinnear (Iago), Olivia Vinall (Desdemona) and Lyndsey Marshal (Emilia), fight director Kate Waters, director Sir Nicholas Hytner, and Major-General Jonathan Shaw.

Learning outcomes

These films are designed to support students studying Othello as part of a GCSE or A Level course in Drama or English Literature, with a particular focus on character and interpretation.

Watch

Othello-2013-PRO-16-Johan-Persson-2000x1250

Play Video

Othello: Iago and Othello

Actors Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear discuss their characters’ relationship, the social and military hierarchy of the play and the motivations behind their actions.

Play Video:

Othello: Iago and Othello

Actors Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear discuss their characters’ relationship, the social and military hierarchy of the play and the motivations behind their actions.

A person dressed in civilian clothing sits facing outwards on a bed. in a a bed. Two military personnel stand at the door, one in a tan shirt and the other in full camouflage uniform, both looking at her. The setting suggests a tense or emotional situation.

Play Video

Othello: Emilia and Desdemona

Olivia Vinall and Lyndsey Marshal talk about their characters, the relationship between them and the position of women in the world of the play.

Play Video:

Othello: Emilia and Desdemona

Olivia Vinall and Lyndsey Marshal talk about their characters, the relationship between them and the position of women in the world of the play.

A group of soldiers in camouflage sit and stand in a tight group. They are all focused on one soldier who has two beer cans at his mouth.

Play Video

Othello: Staging a Brawl

Fight Director Kate Waters works through the key moments of a fight sequence, explaining how to create realistic effects on stage.

Play Video:

Othello: Staging a Brawl

Fight Director Kate Waters works through the key moments of a fight sequence, explaining how to create realistic effects on stage.

A production image from 'Othello' at the National Theatre in 2013, featuring Adrian Lester as Othello with his hand in the hair and Olivia Vinall as Desdemona with her hand on his chest

Play Video

Othello: Behind the Lines

This film explores the military setting of the production and the role of Major-General Jonathan Shaw, who helped to create this authentic environment on the Olivier stage.

Play Video:

Othello: Behind the Lines

This film explores the military setting of the production and the role of Major-General Jonathan Shaw, who helped to create this authentic environment on the Olivier stage.

Production information

Olivier Theatre, 2013.

Othello by William Shakespeare; directed by Sir Nicholas Hytner; design by Vicki Mortimer; lighting design by Jon Clark; sound design by Gareth Fry; fight direction by Kate Waters.

Photo © Johan Persson

The full production is available to stream on the National Theatre Collection

Suitability

Suitable for 16+/KS5+

Keywords

Shakespeare, Character, Nicholas Hytner, Rory Kinnear, Adrian Lester, A Level English, A Level Drama and Theatre, OCR, AQA, Pearson Edexcel

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