The sun shone faintly through the gap in the roof. From where we sat we could see the wide stage, where six individuals clad in black clothing calmly played their drums, violins and tambourines, all the while humming a soft melody.
Soft murmuring filled the theatre as excited individuals chatted while patiently waiting for the show, a popular play written by the great man himself,William Shakespeare. It was almost if we were back in the 16th century, eagerly overlooking the famous actors who would perform in a play that was going to be one of the most well-known of all time – Othello.
Othello is a play about a general of that name, who secretly marries a woman named Desdemona. Iago, a devilish and cunning man, begrudgingly works as an ensign under Othello after being passed over for the position of lieutenant for an inexperienced soldier named Michael Cassio. Iago takes it upon himself to ruin Othello by tricking him into thinking his wife has been disloyal, which eventually leads to the tragic scenario many Shakespearean plays are known for.
Keen Year 13 English students and some Year 12 Scholarship students watched this version of Othello produced by the Pop Up Globe Company, as they begin their 2017 season here in New Zealand. They gave the students a chance to experience what it would feel like to be alive hundreds of years ago, back when the real Globe Theatre first produced the most well-known plays of history.
Overall, it was a very memorable and very helpful experience for us as English students.
Angelika Bilbao
