Educational Media Reviews Online

A part of the educational series A Taste of Shakespeare, this greatly abridged version of Othello reviews main characters and themes by performing select scenes in order. The emphasis is on clarifying the basic story for students who are also reading the play or planning to view another, full performance. To that end, several levels of instructional commentary supplement the dramatic text. A voiceover narrator occasionally summarizes transitions, such as the move from Venice to Cypress between Acts One and Two. The actor playing Roderigo also comments, in asides written for the program, on the significance of characters' dialogue, such as Iago's rationale for betraying Othello.

Filmic techniques alter the staged nature of the performance in a few instances: Iago delivers several lines as voiceover narration, rather than spoken word; a few visual flashbacks recall previous scenes that relate to the present one. The actors deliver their lines slowly and clearly, favoring comprehensibility over dramatic flare. Likewise, lighting and staging adequately convey the basic visual elements. Recommended for instructors who want a basic outline of the play, viewable within an hour. More information is available at the series' web site .