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EastEnders' James Alexandrou to play Iago in Shakespeare's Othello

The English actor will take on the role of Shakespeare's villain in April

Jess Denham
Tuesday 25 March 2014 16:21 GMT
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James Alexandrou will play Shakespeare's Iago in the Grassroots Shakespeare London production of Othello
James Alexandrou will play Shakespeare's Iago in the Grassroots Shakespeare London production of Othello

James Alexandrou has been confirmed to star in a forthcoming West End production of Othello.

Best known for his role as Martin Fowler in long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders, the English actor will play the evil Iago in Shakespeare's tragic drama of jealousy, psychological manipulation and revenge.

The new Grassroots Shakespeare London adaptation will run from 2-26 April at the Leicester Square Theatre and celebrate the playwright's 450th birthday.

Alexandrou, who has performed alongside the Nobel Prize-winning Harold Pinter in the past, will be joined onstage by Nari Blair-Mangat (Othello), Annabel Bates (Desdemona), Boris Mitkov (Cassio), Emily Jane Kerr (Emilia) and Jim Conway (Brabantio).

The 28-year old said he was "honoured" to be taking on the part of Shakespeare's most notorious villain.

In 2011, he told Digital Spy that he was not interested in returning to EastEnders, citing a "strange relationship with being on the telly".

"I haven't got any bad feelings for EastEnders, that sounds like we don’t like each other," he said. "I talk to the guys all the time and I love that show. It started me off. But I’m doing good right now and I’m happy doing what I’m doing."

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