The main attraction of
Jamie Lloyd’s current theatrical event is casting Kit Harington, star of cult
series ‘Game of Thrones’, as the troubled and utterly possessed ‘Dr Faustus’.
Despite seeing an early preview of this blood showered, ink spitting, anarchic production,
its one hell of a show!
Teased and tempted to sell his soul to the
devil, the tormented Dr Faustus (Kit Harington), magician and failed academic,
somehow manages to earn our deepest sympathy, before choosing his ultimate
ending. But his journey to hell, accompanied by an almost unrecognizable Jenna
Russell as the demonic servant ‘Mephistophilis’ is both disturbing and entertaining. The appearance of arch-demon
‘Lucifer’ (Forbes Masson) in his
underwear, accompanied by a table fork, clearly shows that Jamie Lloyd’s tongue is well and truly in his cheek!
Beneath the ambiguous versions of the
original tale (or true story of Dr Johann Georg Faust?), lie many truths; explored
and exploited in this modern adaptation by Colin Teevan. Laced with current
political references and added curses of modern life, it scarily brings the fire and brimstone battle, right up
to date.
Accompanied by an equally horrific (in the
best possible sense!) ensemble of sins and mythical ideologies, it really does question
why Dr Faustus chooses his own final destiny, as opposed to accepting his saving ‘Grace’ offer by 'Wagner' (Jade Anouka).
Kit Harington’s spellbinding portrayal deserves
all the accolades for carrying pretty much all of this complex play on his own
shoulders, reduced only to his boxers, for much of the journey.
Ben and Max Ringham’s amazing and atmospheric
soundscape completes this dark tale of morality, that must have scared the hell
out of Elizabethan audiences, as is it still does today.