Cambridge Summer Theatre - The Cambridge Historical Commission Blog

By 1930, Paul Robeson was an acclaimed star: a full-voiced bass; a commanding actor on screen and on stage; and a Civil Rights activist. In March of that year, he debuted his Othello at London’s Savoy Theatre. It was a wretched production—poorly directed, badly acted, overly elaborate sets—but Robeson shone. His “resonant voice, imposing stature, and artless acting were largely responsible for the twenty curtain calls at the London premier” (Harvard Theatre Collection, “Paul Robeson as Othello: the 1942-1945 Margaret Webster—Paul Robeson production of Shakespeare’s Othello”).

Paul Robeson backstage, 1942
New England Historical Society

Robeson was eager to perform the role in America but suspected that a Black Othello would not be acceptable to audiences here. And he was right—his Othello did not make it to the United States until August 1942. The Harvard Theatre Collection essay explains the long journey.

John Haggott, a young Harvard-educated stage manager and producer, arranged “through his Cambridge connections for Robeson’s Othello to appear at Brattle Hall, home of the Brattle Theatre Company … under the auspices of the Cambridge Summer Theatre.” Margaret Webster, the director, was an accomplished actress and preeminent Shakespearean director. Webster and Haggott met with Robeson, and the three approached New York theatre producers, but none would agree to finance a possibly controversial show. Webster, Haggott, and Robeson formed a three-way partnership and cast Uta Hagen as Desdemona and her husband, Jose Ferrer as Iago.

On August 8, 1942, the Cambridge Sentinel announced the advent of “The Robeson Othello.”

Uta Hagen and Paul Robeson.
1942 New York Theatre Guild production

Cambridge Summer Theatre playbill. CHC Ephemera Collection, Gift of Susan Juretschke

Jose Ferrer (white shirt, goatee) and Paul Robeson.
1942 New York Theatre Guild production

Juretschke found the playbill in her father’s papers. He had attended one of the performances and deliberately kept the program; he told his daughter he knew it was important.

The Harvard Theatre Collection essay concluded, “The Brattle Theatre appearance was attended by enormous, far-reaching publicity and a rush on tickets; according to contemporary accounts the opening performance went flawlessly and extended calls followed the performance, accompanied by collegiate-style foot-stamping.”

The production met with equal success at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton. It was brought to New York by the Theatre Guild in October 1943, where it ran for a record-breaking 296 performances. Then the company, with Robeson, Hagen, and Ferrer in the leads, began a nationwide tour. At every theatre, management had to sign a contract that included a non-negotiable clause:

“There shall be no segregation, grouping or setting apart of audiences because of race, creed or color.”

None of the Cambridge papers appear to have published reviews of the play but were thrilled to announce another public appearance by Robeson.