Othello

Passed over for a military promotion by Othello, the jilted sociopath Iago tells a series of lies which lead to a series of deaths. The body count ultimately doesn’t rank at the top of Shakespearian tragedy, but the killing of the clueless heroine, Desdemona, strikes me as one of his more heartless murders. True to the form of low-budget Shakespeare, Balagan’s staging of Othellohas nothing in the way of a set, though director Ryan Higgins’ use of acting blocks is the most clever I’ve seen. The actors deserve the bulk of the credit for the success of the production. Johnny Patchamatla makes a very good Othello, and Mike Dooly makes an even better Iago. Patchamatla’s deep, resonant voice recalls James Earl Jones, who played the role on Broadway in the early ’80s. And Dooly, whose Iago is slightly nervous but always in control, is the true star of the show. Charged with setting the play in motion and maintaining its pace, Iago is a demanding role, and Dooly delivers an excellent performance. BRENT ARONOWITZ 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Dec. 13.
Sundays, 2 p.m.; Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m. Starts: Nov. 23. Continues through Dec. 13, 2008