Just been to see Othello at the Donmar Warehouse, a theatre so small you can tell when the actors are looking you in the eye. And what actors: Chiwetal Ejiofor, Ewan McGregor and Kelly Reilly.
Acted with all the animation, subtlety and spit that befits Shakespeare and with cod piece and heaving bosom aplenty it is a tale of the worst of human emotions: jealousy and revenge and it's tragic consequences.
The machiavellan Iago (McGregor) looked over for promotion by Othello (Ejiofor) expertly plots his revenge, at first subtely sowing the seeds of doubt about his wife Desdemona's (Reilly) fidelity and then rapidly reeling Othello and his unwitting helpers into his web of lies.
Othello was played as man of passionate personality, but ultimately someone who is insecure and proud, whose pride once pricked is savagely wounded.
Iago who is one of the most evil characters of all the Shakespeare plays I know was played with firm purpose and no remorse even as he is undone.
And the beguilling Reilly played Desdemona as naturally flirtatious but with an innocence that helps steal the element of tragedy.
I was gripped from the moment the actors burst onto the stage until they took their final bow. It was such a great play to start the year.
Tickets are apparently going for £600 on ebay and I can understand why, but I wouldn't have sold mine for double that.
Oh and if all that wasn't enough, Richard E Grant and Richard Curtis were both in the audience and David Oyelowo who played Danny in Spooks was sat right behind me.