Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...Turning Othello from a Moorish military officer into a rapper from the ghetto, writer-directors Jeffrey and Gregory Qaiyum (aka the Q Brothers)-along with actors Postell Pringle and Jackson Doran-narrate the action in singsong, often sloppily rhymed couplets backed by an insistent electronic beat. The all-male crew tackle multiple roles, resorting to cartoonish caricatures. Oddly, Othello's doomed bride, Desdemona, is represented only as an invisible synthesized voice, while other female characters are played as bimbos or nags-a troubling take on an ever-timely story of male sexual jealousy and domestic violence."
Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended
"...Nothing's lost in this deft translation or delirious presentation. Othello stays serious where it should, notably as the inevitable catastrophe closes in: Even where it didn't in the original, it strikes true, as in a hilarious, driving rouser by the "women" ("It's a Man's World") about why men shouldn't rule the world. Happily and intentionally, the storyline stays too strong enough to succumb to the style. Indeed the insistent percussive dynamism of the script propels the unstoppable tragedy as much as any incidents. However long the run, this "remix" can never run long enough."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Although you might think Chicago Shakespeare Theatre would be stuffy and traditional in its approach to the Bard, you'd be wrong. Definitive proof - the Q Brothers' brilliantly-written "Othello: The Remix" is back! "Othello: The Remix" is musical, creative, energetic, poetic and oh so much fun! You don't need to understand (or even like) hip-hop music - or even Shakespeare. for that matter - to love it. "Othello: The Remix" is fresh, fun and original."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...The production is clear and easy to follow. Othello's story been simplified and updated so that audiences unfamiliar with the original by the Bard will fully understand and appreciate this play. Young audiences, in particular, will love the high octane hip hop music and rap songs, as performed easily by the talented quartet of young actors. It's great to once again see more of the Moor rapping the story of Desdemona and himself, but with swag."
Third Coast Review - Highly Recommended
"...GQ and JQ have carefully distilled a five-act Shakespearean tragedy to a fluid, fast moving, accessible production full of impressive rhymes, rhythm and syncopation. Lyrics simultaneously advance the storyline, entertain and reference everything from notable rap artists, to Godzilla’s Rodan, and Magic: the Gathering’s infamous Black Lotus. The result is hilarious, hip and exhilarating; in fact, the production begins with such verve that it’s hard to imagine how things can get any more energized. Even so, the actors never let up, laying down their rhymes with precision, skill and commitment. Pringle’s Othello and GQ’s Iago each have particularly impressive bouts of lyrical prowess, and their sheer rawness imbues countless lyrics with a winning mixture of humor and gravitas. Indeed, the Q Brothers’ work itself carefully straddles this line throughout most of its 80-minute running time, stumbling only in its unfortunate representation of female characters."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Straddling absurdity and excess, the truth-telling, soul-roaring and sheer exhibitionism of the combination of rap and tragic drama paired with the rhythmic hymning of vernacular and verse, “Othello: The Remix” is pure brilliance. It is Shakespeare operatically reconsidered for our place and time."
