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By
Andrew Blades
An
old tutor once told me that if Christopher Marlowe had lived beyond
the age of twenty-nine, his profile would have eclipsed Shakespeare's.
Whether this bold vision into an alternate universe was arrived
at through Faustian dark arts is debatable; but it's clear that
Marlowe continues to resonate with our times as much as his more
celebrated contemporary.
The
fable of Faust, the scholar who sells his soul to the devil in exchange
for God-defying powers, has always had a permanent hold on our consciousness;
the story's had as many guises as the devils that lurk within it.
In this ODT production, it resurfaces as high-energy digi-drama,
a multimedia morality tale for a world troubled by the temptations
of technology and fame. Utilising the talents of film-maker Greg
Browning and composer Tim Addy, their palette is winningly varied,
and though the tricksy movie sequences and booming dance music occasionally
slow down the action, they more often than not emphasise the bigger
/ better / faster / more ethic at the heart of Faustus' downfall.
Alex
Nicholls' portrayal of the lead role doesn't quite live up to this
urgency, but then that's probably the point; he simply can't keep
pace with his own desires. Mephastophilis, on the other hand, is
the real master of ceremonies, and Joseph Adams gives a sinuous,
silver-tongued performance; servile one minute, serpentine the next.
But
what impresses most is the flexibility of the supporting cast, whose
remit covers the gamut from Seven Deadly Sins to clowns, popes,
emperors and furies, all within the blink of an eye. The entertainment
aspect so crucial to Elizabethan drama is not forgotten; it shares
the stage equally with the profounder observations. For all the
modish reference points, this production retains the marks of good
theatre down the ages; it challenges, informs and raises a chuckle.
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