Othello, the Moor of Venice

"I saw, the other night, a truly superb production of Othello, The Moor of Venice at the Marin Theater Company in Mill Valley... As myself a yearly attendant at the Oregon Shakespeare Company I have seen, over the years, a number of Othellos. The Marin Theatre Company's production was far superior to any of the Othellos I had seen in Ashland because both the Othello and Iago were truly equal in acting ability."

"It is a great pleasure to see one of the Bard's plays mounted in a classical mode. That does not preclude using the neoteric lighting, sound and costumes to enhance his themes and structure and Marin Theatre Company (MTC) has done just that to present a powerful Othello. It also helps, greatly helps, to have a seasoned director of Shakespearean plays to guide the totality to fruition... This staging of Othello, the Moor of Venice attests to [Artistic Director Jason Minadakis,'s] ability. It also helps to have two great actors to play of Othello (Aldo Billingslea) and Iago (Craig Marker)... Aldo Billingslea is a great Othello with a reverberating voice, regal stature and complete mastery of Shakespearean verse. Craig Marker's performance beautifully matches Billingslea and his "honest" Iago gains the trust of all those around him while masking his villainous nature."

"[Director Jasson] Minadakis deserves a lot of credit for his cleverly crafted, electric and fresh version of this play... In bringing this classic Shakespearean tragedy to life, Minadakis has made many strong and bold choices... With the strength and skills of his incredible cast, Minadakis was able to pull off his unique vision of Othello."

"It's a dynamic staging, elegantly capturing both the humor and the pathos, and the entire cast handles Shakespeare's language crisply and eloquently... Though there's never any question of what's going to happen, the show does an impressively effective job of making you hope against hope that Othello will wise up before it's too late."

"Attending a Shakespeare performance in a 200-plus seat theater can be an exceptional experience, given a first-class cast and strong direction. Marin Theatre Company's new production of Othello scores on all counts, delivering one of Shakespeare's most intense works straight-up and powerful. Director Jasson Minadakis has no tricks up his sleeve, nor does he bow to the relevance issue in his concept... Minadakis stages closely to the text and lets everything emerge through the language. The focus is the language, and Othello and Iago in their death struggle are given ample space to dwell upon the poetry so that nothing is lost."

"One of the most accessible versions of the play I have ever seen."

"A solid production well worth a look for anyone who's never seen the iconic tragedy or only wants to revisit it on special occasions... [Aldo Billingslea] and [Craig] Marker escalate the deception of [Othello by Iago] with insidious skill. It isn't often that Iago's ploys win audible gasps of horror from an opening night audience."

"Aldo Billingslea commands the stage as Othello... [he] fully embodies the power, pathos and poetic sensitivity of the title role. His towering performance is the reason to see the production.

"Watching MTC's Othello, I wondered if William Shakespeare was determined – with teeth-gritted ferocity – to make the audience squirm with the effort of holding back shouts of warning and outrage... This gripping and compelling version in Mill Valley so relentlessly draws in the spectator that a silent reaction may take an effort. The story's painstaking exploration of the unleashed demons of carnage, duplicity, and jealousy is intensely heightened by no-holds-barred acting."

"I have to say I'm glad I saw the production because these two formidable local talents [Aldo Billingslea and Craig Marker] do not disappoint. Watching Billingslea transform from noble warrior to blushing groom to murderous, jealousy-enraged monster is captivating. And Marker's boyish earnestness somehow makes Iago even more coldhearted than usual. Even from behind a scruffy beard, Marker can't escape a look of innocence that contrasts sharply with the evil spewing from his lips. Billingslea and Marker perform a beautifully calibrated duet of provocation and victimization that erupts into a finale can't help but satisfy."

"Jasson Minadakis's production for Marin Theatre Company gives us a wonderful evocation of Venice and Cypress with a beautifully effective set by J. B. Wilson supported by superb lighting design and costumes by Kurt Landisman and Fumiko Bielefeldt... Fight director Dave Maier has provided thrilling swordplay and convincing physical action with cinematic realism. The atmospheric riches of this Othello are in every way exceptional."