By Christian Baumgartner

 

It’s official! Live theater is making a comeback this summer in San Miguel de Allende. “¡Oh Celos!” [Oh Jealousy!], a new production based on William Shakespeare’s “Othello,” will be presented at the Biblioteca Pública. As part of an increasingly common trend, the play will be staged in an open space, with the audience separated into small groups so that everyone may safely enjoy this live performance.

 

In this modern adaptation, the main characters from the original play come to life, including Othello, the brave and heroic Moorish general who conquers the heart of a Venetian noblewoman and marries her against the wishes of her father; Desdemona, Othello’s beloved wife; and Iago, the villain of the story, a cruel and calculating manipulator who pretends to be Othello’s friend but ends up betraying him. Brabantio, a Venetian senator and Desdemona’s father, reluctantly gives his daughter to the Moor when he sees no other choice. Emilia, Desdemona’s loyal maidservant, tragically dies at the hands of her husband, Iago, and the Duke of Venice.

 

The work is built around monologues that capture the essence and perspective of each character, with the story evolving in a back and forth between the period of the original play and the present. The monologues were written by several local authors who have adapted and reimagined Shakespeare’s classic tragedy to give it a new, more contemporary perspective.

 

The cast will no doubt sound familiar to many: Rodrigo Demian, Rodrigo Tierrablanca, Ricky Galera, Ivette Pizarro, and Perla Mariana Rodríguez. The play is directed by Christian Baumgartner, the mastermind behind this captivating production we are sure you will love!

 

The play is in Spanish, but those who prefer English can read the text simultaneously using their smartphone, so don’t forget to bring it along. 

 

Tickets on sale at the Reloj 50A theater box office from Monday to Friday from 10:30am-5pm, and Saturday from 10am-2pm, or at www.teatrosantaana.org.