Tabloid Topics Compel in ‘Othello’

Interracial marriage, jealousy, spousal abuse and murder rear their troubling heads, but thankfully not in muck ripped from tabloid headlines. We’re talking about “Othello,” and despite limited resources and uneven casting, Malibu Summerstage Theater by the Sea offers compelling testimony why Shakespeare’s tragedy will endure when O.J. ephemera has long since slid into oblivion.

Shakespeare was concerned with human truths, not media spin.

Bringing light to the dark corners of the soul, Steven Matt proves a riveting presence in the title role at the Malibu City Hall atrium. He makes the tortured Moor’s descent from largess of spirit into a quagmire of mistrustful rage seem a natural and inevitable progression. While manipulated through deceit into killing his wife, there’s no escaping responsibility for his own blindness and brutality. Though Matt’s Othello takes his time accepting culpability, he effectively earns our sympathy and respect.

As the architect of Othello’s downfall, Richard Edward Johnson’s Iago is a less comfortable fit. While quite at home with the role’s physicality and serpentine cunning, Johnson shows little facility with Shakespeare’s language--venom and hatred that should seethe through the metrical cadences are diluted in matter-of-fact delivery. A sense of urgent motive for his treachery is noticeably lacking.

After an initially submissive start, Ana Gabriel’s Desdemona asserts herself with uncharacteristic but engaging spunk. I’ve never seen a Desdemona smothered on a futon, though. Tres Malibu.

Jon Beshara as the stalwart Cassio gives a tight, natural supporting performance that brings even archaic conventions to life. Denise Dowse (alternating with Kathy Bell Denton) makes a spirited Emilia (Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s servant). Other elements of John Marzilli’s staging are hit-and-miss, and the piece runs out of steam long before its shamelessly padded finale. Bottom line: a strong middle third, rounded not with sleep but an occasional yawn.

* “Othello,” Malibu City Hall atrium, 23555 Civic Center Way, Malibu. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Ends Sept. 17. $15. (310) 456-0152. Running time: 3 hour, 20 minutes.