S y n o p s i s

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts..." William Shakespeare

Shakespeare's words aptly come to life in I Will Avenge You, Iago!, a comedy about great actors and their on and off stage dramas and farces including adultery, burglary, suicide and murder.

A great stage performance almost costs Jack Bandrowsky (Larry Pine - Melinda and Melinda, Vanya on 42nd Street, The Royal Tenenbaums) his life when a naive and confused audience member, Marvin (Keith Nobbs - Phonebooth, 25th Hour, It Runs in the Family) goes backstage to kill the villain Iago at the end of "Otello". In a desperately improvised and inspired performance, Bandrowsky convinces Marvin that the real villain is not him, but instead -- the Duke, who killed his beloved daughter Gilda.

Meanwhile, upon arriving home from her theatrical tour, Jack's actress wife, Helen (Michi Barall - Personal Velocity, Law & Order, Cosby), finds his gorgeous mistress Eve Zimmermann (Kate Hodge - Ellen, JAG, Cupid) cleaning their apartment in nothing but an apron. In truth, however, there is no mistress, just a brilliant con woman who takes off with all of Helen's jewels.

In the next act, Helen leaves Jack for the director of her theater company, played by the incomparable Giancarlo Esposito (Night on Earth, Do the Right Thing, The Usual Suspects, Smoke). The Director cuts her from the role of Ophelia in their production of "Hamlet" and cheats on her with an HIV positive actor. The pregnant Helen breaks down and kills herself... but this is just a house rehearsal of his new play!!

The rehearsal is over and Helen rushes to the hundredth anniversary performance of "Rigoletto" starring her real husband - Jack Bandrowsky. True to his word of revenge, Marvin attends the performance, finds the Duke in his dressing room, and blows him up with a hand-grenade...

One year later. On stage of the prison theater convict-actors perform an adaptation of "Hamlet" written by the Warden (Larry Drake √ LA Law, American Pie 2). Among the few guests are Bandrowsky and Helen, invited by Marvin, who plays the lead role. This time Helen is finally pregnant for real. She is shocked to recognize Eve Zimmermann as Hamlet's mother (Eve is serving 5 years for a profoundly artistic major fraud). Helen does not turn Eve in, but hands her flowers √ in appreciation of a yet another great performance...

Iago is reminiscent of Woody Allen's work in style and spirit. It is always funny, often heartbreaking, and never predictable. With its eccentric characters, fascinating stories and stellar cast, Iago appeals to anyone who likes good comedy.

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