In 2001 he directed a modern-day adaptation of the story of Othello, produced by London Weekend Television for the ITV network and starring Eamonn Walker, Christopher Eccleston and Keeley Hawes. The adaptation was written by Andrew Davies, who Sax worked with again the following year when he directed Davies' adaptation of Sarah Waters' novel Tipping the Velvet for Sally Head Productions and BBC Two. This was not the only connection between the two productions: Keeley Hawes also co-starred in Tipping the Velvet with Rachael Stirling, who had a smaller role in Othello.
