Othello:

Play introduction by Don Wooten -  text (PDF)
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Othello
Read the play online - http://shakespeare.mit.edu/othello/index.html

Last performed by the Genesius Guild in 2004 ~ Photos

“Othello” is an almost foolproof play. The plot is so tightly drawn and the characters so ingeniously played against one another that a theatre group of average competence can bring off a compelling performance.

While the title character is the one who suffers a tragic change, the audience pays closest attention to Iago. He is a picture of pure evil, unreasoning hate; or rather a hate which is excused by so many reasons that it really has none.

At any point, Iago's daring plan can go awry. The agility with which he seizes every opportunity is a kind of genius. Unlike other villains in Shakespearean plays, he is taken to be utterly honest by all the other characters, a reputation which enables him to do the utmost damage. His venom is revealed to none but Rodrigo and we see it at the very beginning of the play.