Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New YorkThe record-breaking take on the Shakespearean tragedy might already be a smash, but it’s disappointingly muddledWith the smell of doom and regression in the air, perhaps it’s not surprising that the hottest ticket on Broadway this season is for a 400-year-old tragedy. There’s been much ado about the box office for Othello, a new rendition of Shakespeare’s classic given movie-star wattage. The show at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, grossed $2.8m during one week of previews – the most of any non-musical during a single week on Broadway ever, in part because some orchestra tickets are going for a whopping $921.The sticker shock is not just an Othello problem – tickets for two other celeb-driven plays on Broadway – Glengarry Glen Ross, and George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck, aren’t averaging much less, and it’s already been a lucrative season for celeb-studded Shakespeare as Romeo + Juliet, starring s...
A review of the Broadway production of Othello starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal deems it an "underwhelming blockbuster," citing high ticket prices that don't match the quality of the minimalist production. While the actors showcase their talents, the production itself fails to provide much beyond that, despite its record-breaking box office success.
