The Royal Shakespeare Company's new production of Othello downplays the play's disturbing domestic violence, presenting it in a 'mindscape' that keeps the brutality at arm's length. The production has a semi-ethereal atmosphere and features a restrained performance by John Douglas Thompson as Othello. The bitter, misogynistic core of the play remains despite the tasteful and elegant design. Meanwhile, A Raisin In The Sun at the Lyric Theatre tells the story of a black family's struggle against racism in 1940s Chicago. The production effectively mobilizes the family's aspirations and creates a sense of transformation.