Q

Playwright Djanet Sears on why Harlem Duet, her Othello prequel, is unfortunately still relevant

Award-winning Canadian playwright Djanet Sears remounts her 1997 play, Harlem Duet, a prequel to Shakespeare's Othello.
Writer/director Djanet Sears. (Courtesy)

Djanet Sears is an award-winning African-Canadian playwright, who wrote a prequel to William Shakespeare's Othello. The play tells the story of a black soldier's fateful romance with a white woman, set in 16th century Venice. But Djanet Sears' play, which she wrote back in 1997, takes place in modern day Harlem. It's called Harlem Duet and it's just been revived for a run this month in Toronto, at the Tarragon Theatre.

Djanet Sears joins q guest host Saroja Coelho to talk about remounting her 1997 play and why it feels more relevant than ever in today's political climate. 

— Produced by Stuart Berman



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