Batista Desdemonei - Brasov

“I am not what I am” – or, in free translation, “I am not who you think I am”.

The play “Desdemona's Handkerchief” is under the sign of the emblematic words of Iago, the famous character from the play Othello by William Shakespeare. Nothing is what it seems, Desdemona is not quite the innocent young woman that the audience familiar with the Shakespearean text knows, Emilia, Iago's wife, is much more involved in the whole intrigue, and Bianca, Cassio's mistress, becomes a key character in the whole story.

A story rewritten with humor, intelligence and that makes you think. Because that's what “Desdemona's Handkerchief” does – it takes the central motif from the play Othello and tells the story from the perspective of the female characters.

Desdemona, the wife of the Moor Othello, is a former woman of loose morals, married to see the world and escape the society in which she lives. Bianca, the mistress of Cassio, Othello's right-hand man and most prized general, is none other than the matron of the brothel where Desdemona worked, and Emilia, Iago's wife, currently Desdemona's maid, is not just an instrument in the hands of the perfidious Iago, but even the kinetic impulse that sets things in motion.

And over these three female characters – with intelligence or cunning, with naivety or cynicism, with devotion and honesty, with love and hate – floats the specter of an imminent danger. From a dark corner, the inflexible god of jealousy – the green-eyed monster, as Shakespeare called it – demands its tribute and will receive its payment.

Starting from Paula Vogel's text, director Anca Sigartău reimagines the story of Othello and creates a wonder of a show. She is joined by Arabela Neazi in the role of Bianca and Elena Mogîldea Cernea in the role of Desdemona.

Therefore, a savory text, a show to match, in three characters, which will surely delight both those who know the Shakespearean text and those who are just now discovering the story.

The play "Desdemona's Handkerchief" is part of a new section of the project Shakespeare Imaginarium – Seven O'Clock Shakespeare. A section that explores themes from the Shakespearean universe, developed in metatexts, in innovative productions, in unconventional narrative approaches. An extratext of the Shakespearean text, also performed with Elizabethan costumes, preserving the atmosphere from Shakespeare's time and developing old stories, told in new words.

"Desdemona's Handkerchief", based on an idea by Paula Vogel, with Anca Sigartău – Emilia, Arabela Neazi – Bianca, Elena Mogîldea Cernea – Desdemona.

A performance directed by Anca Sigartău.