Big Time Bard
Wednesday, November 28th by scott maliaWhen Shakespeare wrote, “What’s in a name?” I doubt he was thinking of the famous people who would take on his plays over the next four centuries. Yet, just as actors have been defined by their performances in Shakespearean works, so too have the plays been defined by the stars who have inhabited them. A new interview with actress Kelly Reilly brought this idea into focus. If you have not heard of Ms. Reilly, fear not. Her most notable film appearance was a supporting role in 2005’s Mrs. Henderson Presents. She is primarily a stage actress and her next gig is of a decidedly high profile. She will star as Desdemona in the Donmar production of Othello featuring Chiwetel Ejiofor as the Moor and Ewan McGregor as the villainous Iago.
The interviewer made a point of noting that Ms. Reilly is something of a fresh face in comparison to her co-stars, making me wonder what affect celebrity will have on an audience’s reception of the production. Does Ms. Reilly have an advantage because she is not as well known? McGregor is a talented actor, but will anyone really see Iago or will they see Obi-Wan Kenobi from those unfortunate Star Wars prequels? If that assessment seems harsh (hey, at least I didn’t bring up The Island), it may factor into the audience’s reception of the play. As beloved as The Bard is, Othello is not sold out because of him. Fans are hoping to get a little bit closer to some of their favorite stars, and if the play happens to be good as well, so much the better.
November 28th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
If the Star War Prequels were unfortunate then why would anyone want to see Ewan Mcgregor in Othello?
Also the island was a pretty good movie and Ewan was great in it. Probably people remember Ewan’s other movie’s as well. Most of these movies prove what a great and versatile actor he is.