GAME OF WANDS PREQUELS: REVIEW OF THE PLAY

In every high-school fictional universe, there must be The Play.
In the Game of Wands prequels, specifically Winter Roses, The Play, done as a conscience-catching number for most of Hogwarts (Tywin Lannister and Robert Baratheon being the foremostly intended targets), is the highlight of the Oberyn arc (it was mentioned at the start of the arc and staged in the second chapter/episode from the end, "The Night of the Tempest").
The script chosen, greenlighted by a reluctant Tywin Lannister after some coaxing from both Olenna Tyrell and the author (the de facto headmaster disapproved, at first, of a Muggle story)...
was the Oberyn Martell retelling of the Othello story, with elements from both versions by William Shakespeare and Giuseppe Verdi.
Notably, Bianca's character was present in person and had a larger presence than in Shakespeare's play (but a ghost in the Verdi opera) unlike Desdemona's lord father, a ghost character mentioned by the cast in slightly negative terms (as a disguised "take that" to Tywin Lannister)
Costumes were hand-sewn taking inspiration from various nations and decades of the seventeenth century. Ripe cactus pears were put under the costumes at certain points, where the characters would be injured, to simulate blood.
The writer of the script had cast himself in the male lead role, referred to as "the Dornishman" or more frequently "the Dark One" (instead of "the Moor") and his first love in the female lead role.
All of the cast were scouted for their intellectual and artistic prowess. The youngest member of the cast, a first-year Renly Baratheon, was discovered by chance and (according to Oberyn) he had the talent to pursue a career in the performing arts.
A slightly shy Rhaegar, cast as Lieutenant Cassio, was endowed with real liquid courage during the "kegger scene" to keep his performance up, and thus, slightly intoxicated for real (nothing to worry about)!
The cathartic tragedy was put on stage as this, with a minimalistic cast (not to mention the cactus pears, the firewhisky, or the tweaking of the original script):

• Othello: Oberyn Martell (post-Durmstrang gap year, 22 years old, in Spanish Tercio uniform)
• Desdemona: Cersei Lannister (Slytherin, 16 years old, in French court lady's gowns and in French 1680s uniform)
• Iago: Jaime Lannister (Gryffindor, 16 years old, in Swedish Green Brigade uniform, which includes a kilt)
• Emilia: Elia Martell (Ravenclaw, 18 years old, in Swedish camp-follower frock)
• Cassio: Rhaegar Targaryen (Ravenclaw, 17 years old, in French 1680s uniform)
• Bianca: Lyanna Stark (Gryffindor, 16 years old, in maidservant frock)
• Roderigo: Renly Baratheon (Slytherin, 7 years old but in a potion-induced age-up to 11, in French 1680s uniform)
• The Former Governor (composite of Montano and Ludovico): Jon Connington (Gryffindor, 16 years old, in French Richelieu-era uniform)
• Directed and produced by: Ellaria Sand
• Script adapted by: Oberyn Martell

The play was followed by a short extra number performed by Rhaegar and Lyanna, of their favourite fairytale "Ice and Snow", with the following cast (they still wore the costumes they had worn in Othello):

• Elliot: Rhaegar Targaryen
• Freedert: Lyanna Stark

After both plays, which were vividly and formidably performed, a series of both expected and unexpected consequences followed the events on stage and those offstage:

• Since Tywin Lannister declined Oberyn's offers of love more fiercely, the Dornishman realized his first love would go nowhere, put an end to all of his new relationships, including his engagement to Cersei, and left the Hogwarts campus (having left a letter of apology and a sunflower for Cersei, and the same letter and flower species for Jaime), kissing his younger sister goodbye, giving her the handkerchief, and wishing her the best of luck. Both Oberyn and Elia wept intensely at their farewell.
• Elia broke up with Jaime, having become aware of her intellectual equality with Rhaegar, who became her official fiancé (like the case of the Princess in the Snow Queen Fourth Story (PRINCE & PRINCESS- A handsome couple, newly married and very happy):

1. The Princess (Prinsessen), who desires a prince-consort as intelligent as she, and who finds herself at home in her palace. She has got warm, rich clothing, servants, and a golden coach.
2. The Prince (prinsen), formerly a poor young man, who comes to the palace and passes the test set by the princess to become prince (the new prince of the land).

• The Lannister siblings reconciled and consoled each other with one another. 
• Renly, aside from discovering his gift for the performing arts, realized that he was terribly missing Oberyn, which led to a prelude to the awakening of his orientation.
• And, most importantly... Rhaegar and Lyanna became closer to each other.

The episodes of the Oberyn arc:

• The Dornish are Coming
• Rarities
• My Fair Warrior, Part I
• My Fair Warrior, Part II
• The Night of the Tempest (play staged)
• A World of Sighs

And here's my review of the play itself:

Ever seen The Ember Island Players? Well, it's this episode of Avatar Airbender/Aang, Season Three, where the plot is retold in-universe as a play staged at a resort theatre (for instance, the Ty Lee in the play was obese and über-active). So it's both a play episode (originally, not a school play, for once) and a recap episode. A wonderful episode because of its combined premise (play+recap) and metafictional plotline. So I highly recommend it.

Well, Oberyn and Ellaria made Shakespeare's tragedy look like the Ember Island Players were staging Othello. Or like Springtime for Othello. It also reminded me of legendary show-within-the-show Springtime for Hitler. And I am being serious at that.

There were many similarities with the legendary episode: including, among other features: things happening on both sides of the fourth wall in-universe (on stage and among the spectators). And the play cranking up everyone's performance up to thirteen. And the play taking up a whole episode.

Well, Othello done as a school play is as original an idea as "for once, leading characters don't get to act in the play" in The EIP (though the Dornish arc makes, just for fanservice, shipping, and a little excitement, no use of the latter). Think of that: Othello done as a school play. In Fictionland, as the School Play article on TV Tropes proclaims, the most common dramas to be staged, both written by the Bard of Avon, are Romeo & Juliet for teenagers and MSND for primary school children. Othello is considered too controversial (steamy, and allegedly racist) to be performed by teens in the average fiction series. I loved the daring premise of having this for a school play. So I loved the fact that they did one of my favourite Shakespeares for a change.

At the start of Rarities, Varys with that thespian background of his gave LF (and spectators not acquainted with Othello) a quick summary of the play, which was retold with kawaii chibis of the cast in their costumes. You get a good laugh at LF's part in the account, constantly asking if Catelyn was there (she wasn't) and asking for the ending, which the eunuch didn't want to spoil, leaving the summary unfinished (Varys: Why don't you watch it yourself and see? I give no spoilers, and leave it up to you)...

I love the fact that Oberyn identified himself with the leading character, called (in his version) the Dark One and the Dornishman (instead of the Moor). The first we saw of him, in the dream/flashback that opens the arc, stealing a kiss from a child Cersei... and Jaime asking later in the same episode: "Has any stranger (non-Lannister) ever kissed you?" to which no reply came. Throughout the arc, Oberyn was flirting with Cersei in real life and as Othello to his Desdemona. And she displayed a little interest in him, much to Jaime's chagrin.

Speaking of Jaime's chagrin, add the fact that he has to play the villain. IN A KILT. While Oberyn, Rhaegar, and even Renly get to wear breeches.  To add insult to injury, it's ironic how the dyslectic Lannister heir got the part with the most lines to read and remember... Also that Jaime's dyslexia gets a bit exasperating when it comes to pronouncing and reading "lieutenant": when told how the word is pronounced, he tries to look at it on the script time after time to look for the ostensibly missing F, seeing one between the E and the U. Just consider how many times Iago says "lieutenant" in the play and you get the idea. At least, he could channel all of that disappointment into a vibrant performance, rendered more vibrant by his sarcasm and negative feelings (towards Rhaegar, but also towards "that bloody Dornishman..."). The Lannister gradually fused with the part of Iago, leading even to wearing that kilt without blushing, yet feel a little awkward in the whole "Now are you my lieutenant" mock wedding scene. And good chemistry with Elia. Sparks really fly, especially when he kills her character. We start to realize what he really feels towards Elia.

The relationship between Cersei and Oberyn grew into a crush comparable to hers on Rhaegar, so she was a little of a ditherer. We see how she gradually comes to dance the tango with the Dornishman. And still, upon realizing how different they are, to try to win Rhaegar once more (after his departure). 

Lyanna and Rhaegar also developed their relationship a little further by playing lovers/fiancés (Bianca was originally Cassio's paramour, but the Oberyn script made her the lieutenant's intended bride!), and their surging feelings started to surface (especially Lya's suspicions of Rhaegar belonging to another as a hazard). I loved another plot point introduced: the Other Rhaegar, his repressed self that surfaces under the influence. The strange accent (Leipzig Saxon in the German version, Värmland in the Swedish) and the hot-blooded hyperactivity. BADASS. And also a way to let those dad issues appear once more (the notorious Targaryen curse, trauma, the obsession Rhaegar has with his own sanity...). Add the fact that this started when he was given liquid courage to improve his performance (more on that later). 

In short, the few things we need to know about this play are:

EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER IS A BADASS.

NICE TOUCH WITH THAT WAND-DRESSING À LA CINDERELLA.

NICE TOUCH WITH THE CACTUS PEARS UNDER THE COSTUMES.

AND THE KILT.

AND FIREWHISKY. 
THIS WAS GOING TO BE A MUSICAL EPISODE, WHICH IT NEVER BECAME.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REDOUBTABLE IF THIS WERE A MUSICAL EPISODE...
STILL...
THERE IS THE ALTERNATE MUSICAL EPISODE (as an Easter egg).

THESE HOGWARTS STUDENTS HAVEN'T BUTCHERED OTHELLO.

IN FACT, THEY'VE CREATED A MASTERPIECE.

THE WHOLE CASTING WAS EXCELLENT AS WELL.

So we start the review (of the play within the show only, act by act):

ACT ONE: REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED WITH FIREWHISKY

The setting of the first half of Act One is a wooden outdoor platform on the shore of Lake Hogwarts: the rest of the play will be performed in the courtyard.

The curtain opens over a thunderstorm with sudden flashes of lightning, which light up the setting, the docks before the fort, à la Delacroix. These flashes showcase, in turn, Rhaegar (as Cassio) looking hopeful, Cersei (as Desdemona) head bent in prayer, Jaime (as Iago) looking shifty and holding his fluttering kilt. Elia (as Emilia) and Renly (as Roderigo) stand behind the kilted ensign.

There is a chorus of prayers and there is this storm, and then Jaime wishing that the flagship should find a watery grave, then, suddenly, the flagship appears and approaches the waterfront among the high waves, as Rhaegar sees it come through a spyglass and gives commands to the men to find ropes and throw them towards the flagship, which is pulled on land by the volunteer students playing the privates (in French eighteenth-century uniforms). Then, the storm calms down and a beautiful sunset appears, as the last flash of lightning shines on a landing Oberyn (as Othello), who solemnly proclaims:

"Rejoice, everyone! The foe is put to rout! Ours is the glory!"

And everyone cheers on both sides of the fourth wall-in universe, save for Jaime and Renly, who stand leaning against the walls of Hogwarts as the great general rushes forth to embrace and kiss his spouse passionately as he's saluted by his second in command.

So Jaime and Renly are having a conversation, during which the former explains to the latter that he would better not drown himself (only fools do so) and that he will grant his wish of getting the-one-that-got-away Desdemona, who will not lust after "the black beast" forever... moreover, he only pretends to love the Dornishman and actually hates him fiercely. The reason why?

And here's when Jaime lets go of all that negativity which the part of Iago helps him so well to channel:

"That frilly little upstart (pointing at Rhaegar, who is talking to the female cast), whom they call 'Lieutenant' (air-quoting)... who knows as much of tactics as a blue septa, has usurped my rank, while I have risked life and limb upon many a battlefield (stripping his sleeves to show scars and/or muscle), fighting the good old honest way on the frontline itself! That's how His Dorniship has decided... and I stay at his service as a sergeant major! (Pause) But, as sure as your name is Roderigo, if I were the Dornishman, I would rather have others than Iago by my side!" Then everything crowned with the not-scary-at all evil laugh the Lannister scion can muster.

A great motive rant courtesy of Jaime Lannister. The words in italics are the stressed ones. The evil laugh, while not ominous at all, sounded more like Lock from Go Princess Precure... like a cheerful tenor parody of the typical evil laugh. It helped deconstruct Jaime's Iago while thankfully playing with the evil laugh trope.

The rest of the play takes place in the Hogwarts courtyard, where everyone relocates, led by Oberyn and Cersei holding hands, Rhaegar following them, then Lyanna, Elia, and finally Jaime with Renly by his side. As soon as everyone is gathered in the courtyard, a colourful yet ominous burst of fireworks appears in the night sky, and the Toccata and Fugue starts to play to the rhythm of the fireworks.

There is a dance on stage, a minuet, Oberyn with Cersei, Jaime with Elia, and Rhaegar with Lyanna, though soon the music switches to a waltz (Blue Danube, what else?), and two of the couples switch as Rhaegar leads Cersei to dance, while holding and kissing her hand. Renly stands aside, leaning against a wall and looking at the minuetting, then waltzing couples, as he fidgets with his fingers and whispers to himself.

All while the fireworks form the shape of flitting fairies, butterflies, dragonflies, and other lithe, slender flickering things. And then, they gradually decrease until one little last spark is left, then fades away.

The next scene will obviously be the kegger. It backfired, to a certain degree. Yet what made it ostensibly SNAFU (the firewhisky incident) actually bettered the performance. 

So we have, obviously, Jaime encouraging Rhaegar to have a drink while the lieutenant is on duty. Which, as you know, sets the plot of the Tragedy of Othello in motion.

Now here's the snag: both Rhaegar and his character Cassio are lightweights (can't hold their liquor).

So the words "No thanks. I'm already light-headed after a single sip" were also true beyond the fourth wall.

Moreover, Renly is told that Cersei <3 Rhaegar, since he is so clever and so dashing. And he is told that now the lieutenant's tragic flaw will be revealed, and all Renly has to do is provoke him to vengeance.

Now Jaime sings "I was the Kaiser's Assistant", followed by "Good Ship Venus", as drinking songs to entice Rhaegar to get over the threshold. The songs are very well performed... (At least, in the German version. In the Swedish one, the song was a modified version of Evert Taube's lyrics for the polka that plays throughout the first half of the scene).

Add the fact that Rhaegar was to be given liquid courage to improve his performance. Lyanna's character Bianca was here some barmaid or tavern wench, who served the officers at the local inn. And she was due to lace Rhaegar's cup of mock liquor/apple juice with real firewhisky. Of course, Jaime saw her pouring, by mistake, too much of the real thing into that tankard... and he knew the whole play would be screwed up.

So Rhaegar wasn't at all aware that he was drinking more firewhisky than Lyanna should have given him (uh-uh!), not even when he noticed the taste of his cup or he felt the liquor searing his throat.

And then, suddenly, his cheeks blush brightly, he gets all fired up (like, hyperactive) and starts speaking with a strange accent. MEET THE OTHER RHAEGAR TARGARYEN.

And don't forget him, for this repressed personality will pop up more often than you expect!

Both versions manage to cram in a few in-jokes:

In the German version, the Other Rhaegar says he is from "Leeiptzsch" (sic!) In the Swedish one, he's studied at Lund. Both seats of learning (a nod to the original life Cassio being an intellectual, a Florentine, or both?). 

There is a scene in the German dub when Rhaegar leaps on the table and says: "Come, we'll dance on the table, until it breaks!" and laughs hysterically at the end. And THIS sounds like an evil laugh.

Then, the Other Rhaegar says he is not intoxicated, can tell left from right (waving the wrong hands), can speak well and walk in a straight line (how ironic), and then he grabs Lyanna by the skirt, and then he grabs Elia ibidem, and... now he tries to lift the kilt Jaime is wearing...

"I'm not a lady!", the sergeant major says. And what follows is a reenactment of the drag queen scene in Crocod... You get the picture. Rhaegar Targaryen, intoxicated, pulling a Croc on Jaime Lannister in a kilt. And you get Jaime squealing like a piglet:

"LIEUTEEEEEEEENANT!!!!!!!!!"

And whacking Rhaegar in the middle of the chest.

Which Renly and Lyanna laugh at. And the following exchange ensues:

LYANNA/RENLY: He-he-he-he...

OTHER!RHAEGAR: What's so funny...

RENLY: Lieutenant... you are... (Lyanna prompts him) drunk.

OTHER!RHAEGAR: I'm not drunk!!! Shut the seven hells up!!!!!!!!!

CUE WILLIAM TELL OVERTURE. While the Other Rhaegar is now berserk and cutting down everyone and everything in his path with a four-foot-rapier. And shouting that he's not drunk and everyone should shut up.

And Jaime rallying the volunteers, including Dayne and Connington, to subdue the drunken lieutenant, as the Lone Ran... William Tell overture is playing in the background. Again, there's Jaime Lannister going "Lieuteeeeeenant!!!" and finally getting a nice hold of his obviously weaker opponent, but not before Rhaegar has leapt off the stage to lunge at someone (Tywin or Robert being a likely target), a fight has broken out straight before the spectators, and the lieutenant is carried back onto stage unconscious.
(LF clings to Cat, and Lysa clings to LF, among the spectators.)

Then, Oberyn and Cersei both appear, looking slightly rumpled and dressed in nightgowns (his is crimson and hers is mint green). And obviously startled, as startled as the spectators of the play. And, of course, seeing Rhaegar unconscious, Oberyn turns to Jaime:
"Honest Iago, my dear friend, could you give an explanation?"
The way Jaime's Iago washes his hands is priceless. The story told is flipped at first, with Jaime trying to stop Rhaegar from ethyl excess in vain. The tone in which the last words are spoken is memetic:
"I'd rather sprain both my feet than come to you!"
In the meantime, Rhaegar is coming to, looking obviously pale and ill at ease, due to more than mere general malaise. And his commanding officer turns to him as he awakes:
OBERYN: Lieutenant Cassio? How come you lost your reason?
RHAEGAR (coming to, half-conscious, looking around himself): Uh-uh, not guilty!
OBERYN (sternly, taking Rhaegar's epaulets and cravat off): Though I love you, you'll never more be an officer of mine.
Rhaegar awakens fully from his state of unconsciousness, shocked by his character's demotion to noncom. Given the fact that he was intoxicated in real life, this is more than just acting.  Then, Lyanna slaps him in the face and turns her back on him, giving him a cold glare, as she puts the chairs and tables in their usual places. Which is even more painful.
We saw that a sugar rush turns Rhaegar (and Aerys) extremely hyperactive, but not what ethanol can do to his fragile Targaryen system, until now. This other personality's appearance. Now it's come to an end, and he's ill at ease, and psychologically crushed, but the show must go on! 
While Jaime is tending to Rhaegar on the stage floor, Oberyn and Cersei have a little moment of romance on a ledge above. And yes, she puts his cavalier hat on. The poses they enjoy are slightly sexy (embraces, hands between legs, head-resting...). The clouds part to reveal a starry night sky with a waning crescent moon. The conversation itself is rather commonplace for an Othello retelling, but all of the cooing and romancing poses make it look like something far more daring:
OBERYN: How wonderful the stars are, and how wonderful is the power of love!
CERSEI: At last, after the war, we are finally together!
OBERYN: You are the only one who loves me for who I am, not for what I am.
CERSEI: I love you too for the misfortunes you've gone through...
OBERYN: And I love you too for caring for my sorrows.
CERSEI: Kiss me once more!
OBERYN (kisses her on the lips): I would never tire of kissing you.
CERSEI (kisses him on the lips): Neither would I.
(They kiss each other's lips at unison, passionately)
A truly heartwarming coda for this chapter, and great acting from all the characters so far: the casting could not be more perfect... This act segues into the next as both newlyweds leave stage...

ACT TWO: THE HANDKERCHIEF

ACT THREE: SEX, LIES, AND WHACKS BY THE DOZEN

ACT FOUR: TO DIE UPON A KISS