Othello: Shakespeare Appreciated

by Jonathan Lomas (Adaptor), William Shakespeare, Phil Viner (Producer)

SET THE STAGE in your classroom with this educational resource designed to spark and engage your students imaginations and to help you creatively present and teach great literature. The single MP3 disc includes a powerful full-cast audio drama that students enjoy and absorb with a teaching pack of audio-linked materials and read-along scripts as pdf files to print, view or project for the whole class to see. Othello is an audio voyage of discovery that not only presents the unabridged play as a powerful full-cast drama twice (with and without commentary) it also takes listeners back in time to EXPERIENCE the world in which Shakespeare lived and worked; to understand how and why his legacy is so important, so innovative and so influential and popular today. The teaching materials have been especially designed to accompany the drama and conversational commentary from the PassMaster, played by Joan Walker. Each project includes class discussion topics, research tasks, writing exercises, drama activities, essay and coursework suggestions, supported by worksheets, maps, diagrams, charts, timelines and text excerpts. Created by teachers and theatre-in-education experts this resource will help your students to develop crucial study strategies as well as formulate, support, and express ideas with confidence; to achieve their best grade in essays and coursework. Starring Jude Akuwudike, Nick Murchie, Vashti MacLachlan, Terrence Hardiman, Christopher Kelham, Lucy Robinson, Andy Greenhalgh, Colin Campbell, Ben Crowe, Harry Myers, Katerina Jugati, Peter Lindford, Sara Bowes and Joan Walker as the PassMaster. Original music composed and performed by Harry Myers. The SmartPass range has won 3 Spoken Word Awards and in August 2008 the guide to Romeo and Juliet was voted the nation's 3rd favourite audiobook.

Genres: Classics, Audiobook, Shakespeare, Drama

Audiobook

First published March 28, 2011

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The green-eyed monster.

I loved this play.
The commentary was wonderful, and really highlighted Shakespeare’s brilliance, in writing about the psychology of jealousy, race, honour, envy and revenge. The dramatisation was also incredible, Iago’s soliloquy at the end of Act 1, “I hate the Moor”, was so good I listened to it several times.
This edition also includes a reading of “The Wicked Ensign”, the 1565 tale by Italian writer Cynthio, on which Othello is based.

[Nick Traynor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The key theme of the play is not racial prejudice, but misogyny. Othello, Iago, Cassio and Brabantio treat women as tools and trophies, and in consequence the women become a black mirror which ultimately reflect their men’s demise. Othello does not suffer from racism: he is a General, held in wide esteem and regard, and he wins the heart of a fair, young, eligible lady. His undoing is his gullibility in accepting scant evidence of the unfaithfulness of his wife, borne out of his ready contempt of womankind. Othello’s tragedy is his lack of humanity; his absence of magnanimity for one whom he ostensibly reverences. Othello doesn’t *see* Desdemona and his blindness is his destruction.

The weak points were the very contrived nature of the plot (everything happened in so expedient a manner) and how at the end two of the characters came back to life in order to have a final word. I do find it very enjoyable, though, how lots of people die at the end of Shakespeare's tragedies.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great listen. I learned more about Shakespeare from this book than I did from the Shakespeare course that I took as an undergraduate. Joan Walker makes the times, the word choices, and the inside references come alive.

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 an extra half star for the lady commentator
Right, wasn't my thing.
I basically skipped to the last act after Act 3 scene 1. Right before Casio got drunk and in trouble. saw that one coming I just wanted to get to the part where Othello got called out for a fool. He's all like I love her and I'm over here scoffing. Even if he did, he certainly loved himself more. And I couldn't help thinking of those stalkers you hear about who "loved" their victims so much they had to kill them.
There are a lot of people who comment on the love the two share. I didn't see it. (And not because I skipped most of the play. I know the story enough to know what was going on, plus that side commentary helped) But for me it's just like Romeo and Juliet. Those two were impulsive children, not lovers. (Romeo had a thing for Rosalie like two seconds earlier.) In this case. Desdemona probably loved her husband. But it's hard for me to think he loved her in return. At least not more than superficially. I mean dude immediately believed the worse of his wife. And was set up so easily it's ridiculous. If he'd really loved her, it should have taken a whole lot more for Iago to even get a crack into that relationship. And I don't care about the implied interracial marriage, being part of his insecurities. Dude was old enough and worldly enough to be fully cognizant of the reaction of the society he lived in. Besides he boasted to her father she wouldn't betray him. And then was like. OMG SHE'S CHEATING ON ME!
So this play wasn't for me. I'm not big into tragedies so it's not really a surprise. although I wanted Othello to live with what he'd done instead of killing himself to get out of it
What I did like was the additional commentary. This I think isn't going to be for everyone. Particularly if you want to listen to the entire thing straight through without interruptions. But I didn't mind it. It's like when you watch a movie with the commentary on. It gave me a lot of background on what was going on at the time the play was written, and the context of what was going on then vs. how it would be taken now. And basically Shakespeare is a man ahead of his time.
I also liked the Wicked Ensign excerpt at the end which showed where Shakespeare got his plot from. gotta say I liked the part where he had to live with what he'd done, instead of dying like in Shakespeare's version. However I totally liked the part where he got told off by Iago's wife in Othello So I think I would have given this one more star, if Othello got told off and then had to live with what he'd done, Iago I really didn't care, dude was a villain and told straight up lies, and set up Desdemona and Casio but honestly Othello was his own man. A freak'n general, he had the brains, he just didn't use them. Nor did he take the initiative (aside from killing his wife) to really do anything himself. Look you can lean on others for help, but sometimes you gotta step up and do things on your own. Like find out yourself, if what's going on is actually true. I mean this is your wife you're talking about killing here. Desdemona is telling him to ask Casio himself. Straight up told him she didn't need a confession because she wasn't doing anything wrong. And for crying out loud, verify with the other guy again. but he's all like No. Iago told me so, I'm not going to do the smart thing and verify the facts. Like I don't know the fact Casio is not actually dead and he wasn't given the handkerchief by Desdemona. Which Othello doesn't find out until Emilia lays it all out for him and he actually asked Casio about it. Note again my pleasure that a woman got to tell him off and call him a fool. In front of witnesses, I might add.

So will I ever read/listen to Othello again? Can't say. I mean someone may want me to go see the play. Or I might have to read it as part of a group or something. But I probably won't pick it up on my own anytime soon.

Recommended? This version. Probably but only if you don't mind commentary every few lines. The play itself. Well it's Shakespeare so yeah, just on that merit you should read it. No guarantees you'll like it though. (although a lot of people do. I did go and read reviews on it.)
Buy/Borrow? Borrow

[Helena Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was skeptical before when i saw that review that this is more of a sexism play than a racism play, but they were literally right this play hates women omg the poor girls. shoutout my lady emilia. it was kind of ridiculous how people kept dying and then coming back to life but other than that this was spectacular. there is no fluff (aside from the musician or whatever) and iago is horrifying in his intelligence. damn!!!!!!! mr shakes peare no one does it like you!!!!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading an act or two, I'd listen to the audio version, which also included explanation and historical context. I got way more out of the play. There was also a short history of Shakespeare's popularity in the theatre and the source material for Othello, The Wicked Ensign. I'll look for more of these to listen to as companion to reading.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the tragedy and the recording that finally made me a fan of The Bard. The narrative commentary is beyond amazing and the voices of the actors is perfect. This is my favorite Shakespeare and I look forward to using this audio when teaching my AP English Literature class every year.