This Christopher Marlowe play tells the well-known tale of the titular Doctor, a scholar who sells his soul to Lucifer for twenty four years of service from the demon Mephistopheles. It’s a classic tragedy of intellectual over-reaching. At times the action is disturbing, at others, humorous. This is one of the best plays ever written in English, and this production fulfils the demands of the challenging script.
Ben Coopland brought a frenetic energy to the role of Faustus. His soliloquies were delivered with a mania that suited both his early enthusiasm and later despair, perfectly conveying both his character’s charisma and self-delusion.. Gloria Lagou’s Mephistopheles was equally impressive; as Faustus commanded and lectured she followed him around the stage with predatory eyes, creating the impression of a cat playing with its food. Their scenes together crackled with energy. When Mephistopheles tells Faustus that “this is Hell” it sent a shiver down my spine. Faustus can’t quite seem to keep still, and his hasty agitation is perfectly contrasted with Mephistopheles almost feline composure.
The decision to include the comic scenes works well. They act as an effective counterbalance to the Faustus scenes, and help to make Faustus’ aspirations appear all the more ridiculous. They also add a necessary tonal contrast to the play’s more disturbing scenes. The comic characters compliment the innuendo-laced dialogue with well placed physical clowning. The scenes which use the chorus succeed; in an appropriately macabre twist the demons double as friars. Altogether, the play shows evidence of some careful decision-making from director Bryony Hope.
The sinister tone is heightened by original music composed by Philip Knox. Eerie sustained notes play against Faustus’ final soliloquy. The climactic scene builds in a crescendo of tension as Faustus’s fate quite literally drags him down. The play will use a suitably infernal set composed of metal grids backed with metallic blue material, which can be used to show silhouettes. In one such scene a strange mass of demons writhed organically, drawing slowly closer to the doomed Faustus. The effect was truly menacing.
I would highly recommend this show; it is a brilliant play, and Bryony Hope’s production promises to deliver a thoroughly enjoyable tale of aspiration and damnation.
6th Week, Keble O’Reilly Theatre, Keble. four stars out of five
