I enjoyed this, although it's pretty dark. I'm not sure Shakespeare ever wrote a villain who is so dark hearted as Iago. It's the way he manages to manipulate everyone else to achieve his ends. On the other side of the coin, Othello is persuaded a fraction too easily of the truth of Iago's lies. It all ends exactly as badly as you'd expect, and it ends before Iago faces justice - but you can't help feel that his schemes are not ended, even yet.
I listened to a production from the Donmar Warehouse and I feel sure that Ewan McGregor had a whale of a time playing Iago - it certainly sounded like he got his teeth into it. ( )

Dramation of Shakespeare's story of love and devotion which turned bad due to jealous rage.

This production is perfect for both Shakespeare aficionados and newcomers alike. Chiwetel Ejiofor's Othello conveys the character's love, sadness, and murderous jealousy as if it were his own, all against a backdrop of Ewan McGregor's conniving and undeniably creepy Iago, who whispers his treachery into the listener's ear when all other characters fade from the scene. While Kelly Reilly's Desdemona seems a little singsongy and unvaried, she does not violate the confines of her character, instead taking a backseat to the stronger forces of fate. The most impressive aspect of this production, however, is that there is absolutely no need for visual accompaniment. The listener not only knows who is speaking and what is transpiring at all times, but is also utterly absorbed. This production packs enough passion and power to leave one thoroughly shaken. ( )