Desdemona is a play that first debuted at Theater Akzent in Vienna, Austria in 2011 and published in 2012 by Oberon Books. The work was a team effort consisting of Toni Morrison, Rokia Traoré, and Peter Sellars. The titular role belongs to Desdemona, the famed wife in Othello. Desdemona has been a major focus for a number of playwrights in the past four decades spanning three appearances in major theater productions. Desdemona is a truly diverse character with every depiction being far from the other.
The play tells the life of Desdemona before and after Othello. The play explores her relationship with an African-American maid she had ever since she was a child. Music is a significant part of this production. Traoré’s jazz sound incorporates itself into the words of Morrison with deep affection and understanding. Morrison uses this old tale to offer a commentary on racism in the present time.
Performing with a guitar, African instruments, and two vocal backups, Traoré sings words of nature, life, death, and eternal love. Peter Sellars’ direction is hypnotic and religious. The positioning of props is meticulous enough to come off as abstract but not noticeable.
