Faustus: Headlong at Hampstead till 18 November
FAUSTUS: Christopher Marlowe, adapted by Rupert Goold and Ben Power
Headlong at Hampstead Theatre
Runs: 2hrs, 30 mins (with interval), 20th Oct – 18th Nov
Mon – Sat 7.30pm
Box Office: 0207 722 9301
Info: www.oxfordstage.co.uk
Review: Harriet Davis, 25 october 2006
A slow beginning, but well worth sticking with it – it builds and builds
Headlong (previously Oxford Stage Company) pull no punches with this sharp and endlessly inventive adaptation of Christopher Marlowe’s Dr Faustus. With much of the original dialogue intact, the action alternates between Marlowe’s eighteenth century scholar, and well-known contemporary artists The Chapman Brothers. Both are concerned with concepts of hell and both are arguably driven by greed.
As with all modern adaptations, particularly those that juxtapose traditional and modern prose, there are frequent shifts in language and tone from scene to scene. In this case, the first transition proves most difficult. Faustus’s weighty opening speech creates an inevitable void, and the characters that fill it seem initially inadequate. In addition, the scene is overly long and somewhat stilted in tone. We long for the emotional depth of the opening scene.
Thankfully, the feeling is short-lived. The characters gradually blossom over the course of the second half and we are treated to any number of beautiful, poignant images; most memorably those in which the two spinning worlds collide. A particularly creative flourish is Goold’s modern day interpretation of hell on earth; in this case a gruelling after-show party at the Tate Modern. It is here that Faustus in shown the true depth of human depravation as those that surround him morph, grow, dissolve and reappear as their historic counterparts.
Given the extreme nature of the subject matter, we would rightly expect a blistering finale. The Chapman Brothers are faced with a moral choice; deface Goya’s acclaimed paintings and face the fact that their experience – or lack of – deems them morally unsuitable for the task; or go back on their word and destroy both their integrity and their prolific careers.
Boasting stand-out performances from Scott Handy (Faustus) and Jason Morell (Cornelius, among other roles), this is a fulfilling, highly intricate production. Adam Cork provides a mesmerizing soundtrack, and the impressive revolving set at all times compliments the action. The themes are well drawn, the plot engaging; this is a powerful, compelling piece of theatre.
Dr John Faustus: Scott Handy
Angels: Isabelle and Elinor Agerbak, Caitlin and Freya Burrows
Cornelius/Vega/Pope/Old Man: Jason Morell
Helena: Sophie Hunter
Foster: Mark Lockyer
Jack Chapman: Stephen Noonan
Dinos Chapman: Jonjo O’Neill
Mephistopheles: Jake Maskall
Chorus: Daniel Curshen, George Franco, Anneka Haskins, Susanna Hislop, Andrew Mathys,
Gemma Measom
Director: Rupert Goold
Set Design: Laura Hopkins
Lighting: Malcolm Rippeth
Music and Sound: Adam Cork
Video and Projection: Lorna Heavey
2006-10-27 09:51:22