As Sixties schoolboys studying Shakespeare, we learned that the star of  Othello was Othello himself. We were taken to see theatrical productions featuring fairly famous, sonorous-voiced actors - their black face paint dribbling under the lights - and then instructed to write essays about his downfall.
Iago hardly got a glimmer of the limelight, being played as naughty boy by a jobbing actor. But My, how things have turned around. For today, it's Iago's play.

In Barrie Rutter's 2009 production he persuaded Lenny Henry to play the title role, possibly with one eye on the box office returns. But it was Conrad Nelson's Iago that completely dominated the show. The worm had turned, and it was the most exciting production of Othello I had ever seen. Until last night.

Dandelion seeds floated across the audience at Shrewsbury Castle. The punters were packed to the ramparts. The all-male Lord Chamberlain's Men had erected their pale portable Moorish townscape before the castle's red sandstone facade, glowing in the setting sun. It promised to be a perfect evening, but no one could have predicted how perfect it would turn out to be.

Thomas Delacourt was absolutely outstanding as Iago. In his matador cloak and velvet pillbox hat, he mercilessly reeled the audience in with his powerful, rasping voice; laying out his evil intentions like a plot line for Eastenders. After all, Shakespeare's Othello was dealing four centuries ago with mental health, deceit, misogyny and alcoholism. Delacourt's Iago was like a desperate parliamentary candidate at a pending by-election (I'll leave you to work out which one), twisting the truth and peddling fake news in tabloid terms. You knew he was a baddie. But he was so beguiling. The audience was willingly sucked into his confidence and his villainy was actually getting laughs where I'd never heard laughs before. At one point he comes on stage and just looks at us.

Mostyn Crawford's Othello is initially much more restrained. This National Youth Theatre graduate plays him with light-voiced reticence, hardly a leader of men. This presents Iago with a clear weakness to exploit. But the Moor expertly rises to high pitched fury as he absorbs Iago's deceits. The moment at which Crawford boils over and strikes his new wife Desdemona sent an audible shock wave through the audience. By now, we groundlings were completely consumed.

The women in this production feel quite modern. Peter Todd as Desdemona has graceful movement and feminine fingers, wearing an Alice band over his flaxen hair. He chooses his natural register for Desdemona to reason with her homicidal husband. Her bedchamber death is dignified, if cramped. It is a finely judged, almost androgynous performance following Shakespeare's own intentions. In the aftermath Othello cradles her Alice band in tragic remorse.

Fletcher Garrard's professional debut as Iago's wife Emilia has much more gusto. The by-play with the fatal handkerchief is fun to watch but her fury when the truth is out is devastating - like inserting a lightning rod into the dying moments of the play. When Iago runs her through, the audience gasps once more in shock.       

It is the company's remarkable ability to connect with the audience that is most memorable. They are using Shakespeare's pure text (slightly abridged) and yet the clarity is crystal. My Colombian companion has English as a second language - and Shakespearian English much further down the list. Yes she surprised herself by understanding every word. I venture to suggest it's the gesturing that does it. Did director Peter Stickney focus on this so that every sentence is amplified by explanatory movement? That way nothing would be lost at the back of, what on this tour, would be a succession of large open air auditoriums. Or, with the proliferation of outdoor theatre, do they just teach that at drama school these days? Either way, it worked a treat.

This is a transformative production. For we old Shakespeare hands there was so much to admire. And for newcomers to the Bard, it's a wonderful launchpad. Simply superb!    

Five stars

Reviewed by Chris Eldon Lee at Shrewsbury Castle on Wednesday 29 July. 

Image credit: David Jensen. 

The Lord Chamberlain's Men return to the Midlands next month, presenting Othello at Alderford Lake, Whitchurch, on Tuesday 11 August and Bantock House & Gardens, Wolverhampton, on Saturday 15 August. The Company also plays Erdigg Castle near Wrexham on Tuesday 25 August.

Visit tlcm.co.uk for further information and tickets.