NDG's Tristan D. Lalla is Othello
Shakespeare's Othello has it all and still appeals to audiences today.
Toula Foscolos, The NDG Monitor
Love, hate, jealousy, ambition, sexual desire, individual integrity, deceit and manipulation.
Is it yesterday's episode of "The Bold and the Beautiful"? It could be, but in this case we're talking about something that was penned in 1603. Shakespeare's Othello proves to a modern-day audience how writing about human nature remains timeless.
Director Gabrielle Soskin explains the Bard's universal appeal: "Like all great tragedies, it is tragedy of character. It is a tragedy about human beings, not a play specifically about betrayal, jealousy, power or racism. I think that is the appeal and greatness of Shakespeare; he wrote about us as we really are in all our frailty."
NDG actor Tristan D. Lalla will be portraying Othello, a noble moor and a military hero caught in a terrifying web of deceit in Shakespeare's gripping masterpiece. The play vividly illustrates the power of words to manipulate and ultimately destroy, revealing our own vulnerability against the forces of persuasion. Tristan is an award winning actor, and an honours graduate of the Professional Theatre Department of Dawson College. Recent film/TV credits include How She Move Superstorm and Serveuses Demandées(Kevin Tierney). Recent theatre credits include Mojo: A Black Love Story (Creative Shades), Much Ado About NothingRepercussion Theatre), The Tempest (Gravy Bath/Saidye Bronfman), and Man of La Mancha (Saidye Bronfman). Tristan has been listed on the Montreal Mirror's Best of Montreal Top 10 Actors list for the past four consecutive years (2005-2008).
Gabrielle Soskin created Persephone Productions in 2000, a not for profit theatre company mandated to give emerging artists work opportunities. In December 2007 Gabrielle was a recipient of the Myron Galloway award for distinction given by Montreal English Critics Circle Association (MECCA) for her contributions to Montreal English theatre.
One small footnote: although, as we noted earlier, the plot only reminds us of a soap opera, Tristan does seem to have a slight connection with that world. The NDG resident is named after Tristan Rogers, who played Robert Scorpio on 'General Hospital', because Rogers was his mother's favourite actor.
The play runs until November 29 at the McCord Museum's J. Armand Bombardier Theatre (690 Sherbrooke Street West). For tickets and/or information, call the Box Office at 514-398-7100 ext. 234 or visit their website, at www.persephoneproductions.org.
Article online since November 12th, 2008
Love, hate, jealousy, ambition, sexual desire, individual integrity, deceit and manipulation.
Is it yesterday's episode of "The Bold and the Beautiful"? It could be, but in this case we're talking about something that was penned in 1603. Shakespeare's Othello proves to a modern-day audience how writing about human nature remains timeless.
Director Gabrielle Soskin explains the Bard's universal appeal: "Like all great tragedies, it is tragedy of character. It is a tragedy about human beings, not a play specifically about betrayal, jealousy, power or racism. I think that is the appeal and greatness of Shakespeare; he wrote about us as we really are in all our frailty."
NDG actor Tristan D. Lalla will be portraying Othello, a noble moor and a military hero caught in a terrifying web of deceit in Shakespeare's gripping masterpiece. The play vividly illustrates the power of words to manipulate and ultimately destroy, revealing our own vulnerability against the forces of persuasion. Tristan is an award winning actor, and an honours graduate of the Professional Theatre Department of Dawson College. Recent film/TV credits include How She Move Superstorm and Serveuses Demandées(Kevin Tierney). Recent theatre credits include Mojo: A Black Love Story (Creative Shades), Much Ado About NothingRepercussion Theatre), The Tempest (Gravy Bath/Saidye Bronfman), and Man of La Mancha (Saidye Bronfman). Tristan has been listed on the Montreal Mirror's Best of Montreal Top 10 Actors list for the past four consecutive years (2005-2008).
Gabrielle Soskin created Persephone Productions in 2000, a not for profit theatre company mandated to give emerging artists work opportunities. In December 2007 Gabrielle was a recipient of the Myron Galloway award for distinction given by Montreal English Critics Circle Association (MECCA) for her contributions to Montreal English theatre.
One small footnote: although, as we noted earlier, the plot only reminds us of a soap opera, Tristan does seem to have a slight connection with that world. The NDG resident is named after Tristan Rogers, who played Robert Scorpio on 'General Hospital', because Rogers was his mother's favourite actor.
The play runs until November 29 at the McCord Museum's J. Armand Bombardier Theatre (690 Sherbrooke Street West). For tickets and/or information, call the Box Office at 514-398-7100 ext. 234 or visit their website, at www.persephoneproductions.org.
Article online since November 12th, 2008