In a month in which the comedian Lenny Henry is earning plaudits as the Moor of Venice, it is instructive to see another production of Shakespeare’s Othello in which laughter (or the potential for it) plays so oddly prominent a role.

Kathryn Hunter, directing this new touring version for the Royal Shakespeare Company, sets the tone from the outset in the scene between Desdemona’s rejected suitor Rodrigo and her father Brabantio (Hannes Flaschberger). The former is played by Marcello Magni, who brings to the role something of the clownish comic persona he developed in his early days with Théâtre de Complicité, while dad expresses his fury in a cod Italian accent that cannot do other than raise a smile. Strangely, he appears to be the only Venetian to speaka thissa way.

The closing moments of the play find an unrepentant Iago – the excellent Michael Gould – chuckling gleefully over his villainies, which appear here – since, unusually, he is clearly not officer class – to be partly motivated by a chippy dislike of his superiors.

In between, come many sections of the action involving the men of the Venetian army whose fifties style military uniforms invite unfortunate comparisons with, say, It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, Dad’s Army or Privates on Parade.

“South Pacific?” offered a gentleman behind me in the stalls, who was no doubt alluding to certain players’ propensity to break into cheesy song from time to time.

In the light of all this seeming playfulness, is it any wonder that an eruption of laughter greeted Othello’s line “I think she stirs again”, delivered before he administers the coup de grâce to Desdemona?

Earlier stages of her strangulation had been accomplished using a large whip, brandishing which he had chased her around the bedroom. Whips seem popular with the RSC at present: Antony Sher’s Prospero sets about Caliban with one. In both cases, of course, the device stresses a master/slave relationship. This is certainly seen in the domination of this Othello (Patrice Naiambana) over his lovely Desdemona (Natalia Tena), sparky though she is.

Their doomed relationship is grippingly explored in this longish (three hours plus) but always enjoyable production. Especially well-handled are her dealings with the unfortunate Cassio (Alex Hassell) – entirely innocent yet fatally susceptible to misinterpretation.

Othello continues until Saturday. Returns only, call 01865 305305.