Arguably his finest work ever, OTHELLO, performed using the original Shakespeare text and set in a football club. A world first.
OTHELLO has been performed for 450 years and has proven remarkably adaptable in that time. But we think stagings have recently settled into a groove set by the National Theatre. Not for us then, the tired overused modern combat fatigues you see the world over; our OTHELLO is brand new and original. Our setting will use modern-day football and the back stabbing world of VENEZIA FC as the backdrop to the tragedy that unfolds.
Othello. Football. Shakespeare. An irresistible and undeniably NOW combination.
This has NEVER been done anywhere else in the world and YOU can help make it happen in Manchester, home of Manchester City and Manchester United FC and undeniably one of the greatest football cities in the world.
By using Venice’s professional football club as our starting point, we believe we have a platform more relevant than ever to explore the immortal themes of professional jealousy, reputation, rage and destructive ambition.
Whether it’s a staging of ALAN MOORE’S BALLAD OF HALO JONES in a pub, BLADE RUNNER in a tiny studio or exhuming lost classics of film and TV, including 2013 critical smash THE BEST it’s fair to say we’ve never shied away from a challenge at LASS PRODUCTIONS. That’s why we’re not afraid to tackle Shakespeare next and perhaps his greatest text – OTHELLO.
It’s Shakespeare. In a football club. Staged in one of Europe’s greatest football citadels, Manchester. It excites us as an idea and we’re sure audiences will agree!
Trailer viewable at vimeo.com
Using the original text, our production of Othello will be set in and around VENEZIA FC. By setting the play in a football club, which has never been done we believe we can refresh and re-examine the themes of jealousy, reputation and ambition that remain as true today as they were 450 years ago.
We see OTHELLO as a former playing legend of Venezia FC (adored by fans as “the General”), and now, as the first black manager of the club under pressure as never before. Reputation and the adoration of the fans is all to him, as is the love of his young wife, the sweet DESDEMONA.
George Olyunka is OTHELLO
DESDEMONA is Othello’s new bride and paragon of virtue and perfection. Madly in love with her husband, who she has married in secret against the wishes of her father, she is sheltered and lacking in the worldlier aspects of life, qualities which sow the seeds of her downfall.
Francene Turner is DESDEMONA
IAGO is “the Ancient”; a club legend and grizzled defender, passed over for the captaincy in favour of new signing and fan favourite, CASSIO. Devious, manipulative, calculating. Think John Terry, you’ll not be far from the truth.
Liam Grunshaw is IAGO
CASSIO is Venezia FC’s flash foreign signing and already, club captain under new manager OTHELLO much to the chagrin of IAGO. Brilliant, modest and a straight deck, qualities that will ultimately do him no good in and amongst the devious undercurrents that swirl around Venezia FC.
Fabrisse Pikondo is CASSIO
RODERIGO is a young striker at Venezia FC, hungry for fame and adoration of the fans. A product of the youth academy, RODERIGO hero worships club legend IAGO. He also has a huge crush on DESDEMONA,which together with his naivety proves perfect to IAGOs rapidly fermenting monstrous goal to bring down OTHELLO.
Taran Knight is RODERIGO
BRABANTIO is the Chairman of Venezia FC and elder statesman of the club. He loved Othello as a player and has made him manager of the club. Nonetheless, he is furious at his daughter marrying OTHELLO in secret at such a tender age and casts her aside, with a terrible warning that she may betray Othello too in time.
Eryl Lloyd Parry is BRABANTIO
EMILIA is the Club’s physio, and wife of the nefarious IAGO. Worldly and just a little weary, she’s seen players and managers come and go in her time at the Club, but even she’s unprepared for the lengths IAGO will go to even the score with OTHELLO.
Morag McClean Whyman Peacock is EMILIA
BIANCA is the ultimate club groupie, a wannabe WAG hopelessly in love with CASSIO but he’s seemingly out of her reach. For now.
Roisin McCusker is BIANCA
LODOVICO is the club’s new head of comms and PR. Initially impressed by Othello, she is increasingly shocked by his descent into brutality and casual disregard for his young wife, becoming a helpless observer of the carnage that ensures.
Hannah Ellis is LODOVICO
MONTANO is the long serving and respected coach and alongside GRATIANO, Venezia FC’s chief scout, head up the boot room at the Club. Like LODOVICO, these respected servants of the Club are increasingly powerless to intervene in Othello’s increasingly self-destructive behaviour which are shaking the Venezia FC to the core.
Dru Jones is MONTANO
Vicky Burrows is GRATIANO
It’s, bold. It’s fresh. It’s MANCHESTER. It’s LASS PRODUCTIONS and it’s on this SEPTEMBER at GULLIVERS in Manchester’s vibrant Northern Quarter!
The September dates are as follows; Monday 22nd 7pm, Tuesday 23rd 7pm, Friday 26th 1pm, Saturday 27th 1pm, Sunday 28th 1pm and 7pm, Monday 29th 7pm.
A little about us…
award-winning LASS PRODUCTIONS is one of Manchester’s best loved and most ambitious fringe theatre companies. Formerly the in-house theatre team at our beloved former home, the LASS O’GOWRIE pub theatre, since it’s closure and renovation in early 2014, we have spread our wings across the City.
Since our first production, RISING DAMP back in October 2011 we have delivered an exciting blend of TV and film revivals, new writing and near impossible shows that have been delivered with our trademark flair and invention.
Put simply; we believe, to quote Doctor Hans Reinhardt from the Black Hole that, “the word impossible …. is only to be found in a dictionary of fools”.
Previous Lass Productions triumphs have included THE BEST, CORONATION STREET 1968 and 1977, V FOR VENDETTA, HOT FAT, Russell T Davies’ MIDNIGHT, Alan Moore’s BALLAD OF HALO JONES, BIG SID, WITHNAIL & I, NEW DAWN FADES, WINE OF INDIA and BLADE RUNNER.
We won the 2013 Manchester Theatre Award for THE BEST (Best Fringe Production) and had artists from our shows in two of the five nominations for Best Actor (THE BEST and WITHNAIL & I) in the 2013 Fringe MTA categories.
The rewards!
OTHELLO will be our first new show since leaving the Lass O’Gowrie and winning the Manchester Theatre Award in March 2014 for THE BEST, so please do show us your support and your help. We want it to be brilliant but we need your help to do it.
We’ve never received a penny of public funds for our work and have always embraced our independent spirit proudly. We exist only by virtue of making things people want to watch and we want your help to make this happen.
We’re also renowned for our flair and good taste, so that’s why we’ve teamed up with our long-term associate, COLIN BROCKHURST to bring you some tip-top rewards, including;
#OthelloFC 160gms Quality POSTER PRINTS
LASS PRODUCTIONS Mug
#OthelloFC 2014 Mug
LASS PRODUCTIONS T-Shirt
#OthelloFC 2014 T-Shirt
Retro PANINI Footy Stickers of the cast AND a Poster to apply them to!
Many of the rewards are available world-wide, so please do give us your love and help make great theatre in Manchester. We’ve also got fantastic ticket packages, GOODIE BAGS, CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP opportunities from £195 and even the chance to have your own PRIVATE MATINEE performance in Manchester or in your school or college!
Check us out at www.lassproductions.co.uk, follow us @21stcenturylass or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/21stcenturylass. The great Colin Brockhurst can be followed @brockhurst.
Back us at www.kickstarter.com
