‘Doctor Faustus’ review
‘I think Christopher Marlowe himself would be proud.’
Durham University Classical Theatre presents Doctor Faustus, Christopher Marlowe’s enduring tale of a man who sells his soul to the devil to gain knowledge and power – and pays the ultimate price for it.
The overall tone and atmosphere of the show were incredible: directors Jude Battersby and Maia Harris Lindop, assisted by Ellie Steele, expertly understood that despite Faustus being ultimately tragic, it is also incredibly comedic, and they struck that balance excellently. Noah Lazarides’ portrayal of the titular character is outstanding: he takes us on a journey from his animated, ambitious youth, to his smugness and power, and finally to a trembling, terrified man reckoning with his fate at the end. Alongside him is Bethan Avery as Mephistopheles, who absolutely owned the stage with her charismatic yet terrifying performance. The proxemics in the scenes between Lazarides and Avery were especially compelling; no matter how much space Lazarides was taking up as Faustus, the second Avery entered he immediately shrunk down into a corner, giving her free reign of the space and reminding the audience who held all the power.
Edward Clark and Samuel Bentley also successfully flipped between comic and menacing as the Good and Evil Angels, with Clark’s high-pitched voice sounding funny at the beginning, but mocking and derisive in the final scene. The ensemble was highly effective and all demonstrated a fantastic range: Roxy Rayward gave a hilarious performance as the oblivious Rafe, while Posy Portwood’s silent yet devastating depiction of a misused Helen of Troy was heartbreaking. Cara Crofts as Wagner was another standout, with a varied physicality that evoked both mischief and impending terror in different scenes. I enjoyed the consistent portrayal of demons as theatrical and performative: what better way to get a man to sell his soul than to put on a good show? Felicity Rickard’s movement direction was incredibly successful in depicting this playfulness, as was the use of the whole auditorium in certain scenes. Special mention must also be given to Mulambo Mwambu Haimbe’s brief yet incredibly memorable portrayal of Lucifer: he personified the malevolent showmanship of this production’s version of Hell with his sinister laugh and powerful stage presence.
The production team, led by Production Manager George Murray, did a brilliant job at designing and embellishing the world of Faustus. The lighting, designed by Flora Wood and operated by Ruby Huynh, created a wonderfully ominous atmosphere throughout. A moment that stood out to me was at the very end: while confronting his actions, Faustus was illuminated by a stark blue-white light that contrasted with the moody and colourful lighting in other scenes, making him exposed and vulnerable. The use of diegetic lighting was also very powerful: the stage was framed by flickering candles, again contributing to the sinister atmosphere. I enjoyed the attention to detail in the arrangement of Faustus’ study on the half-apron, designed by Eve Fidler: small pieces of set dressing, like the globe and the statue of Baphomet, were used effectively in various scenes to underscore dialogue. The setup of Hell on the decking was also very impressive, even though I was a little confused by the (however seasonal) choice of tinsel to decorate it: the sign hanging overhead was painted effectively to look weathered and deteriorating, and served as a reminder throughout the second act of Faustus’ fate.
Overall, this production was highly impressive, and the cast and crew did a wonderful job in bringing such a striking and entertaining (though ultimately harrowing) take on this play to the Assembly Rooms stage. I think Christopher Marlowe himself would be proud.
By Emma Henderson.