The Unpainted Moor
2007, 7 minutes
Story of the first Black man in England to play Othello
Eke Chukwu in documentary of Ira Aldridge, one of the most famous Shakespearean actors of his time. Also known as the African Roscius, his career on the British stage spanned 30 years. He performed in the UK and in Europe as the star in melodrama, romantic drama, operetta, comedy and Shakespeare, with his most famous role as Othello at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. He rose to become one of Europe's leading performers and more honours were showered upon him than any other actor, breaking racial barriers during a time when many of his black American contemporaries were still enslaved.