Emma Hornsby
‘What do you desire most in this world?’ was the question posed by Nottingham New Theatre’s production of Doctor Faustus, and if your answer was captivating performances, beautiful set design and incredibly fetching masks, then this was the play for you. Emma Hornsby reviews.
the set was a microcosm of the play itself, blurring the traditional style with the contemporary
I was immediately struck by the set design of Doctor Faustus. The moment of freeze frame before the play began allowed time for appreciation as the audience took their seats. The set was a beautiful blend of old and new, with books and old wooden blocks lining the stage as well as LED lights. In this sense, the set was a microcosm of the play itself, blurring the traditional style with the contemporary. The LED lights were incredibly effective, for example placing the captivating Laura Denison as the Voice of God under a golden archway throughout the play: symbolically omnipresent both on stage and in Faustus’ inner conflict.
Furthermore, the use of LED lighting around the stage created an enclosed, intimate atmosphere which was reinforced through the masked actors placed at the back of the stage, staring out into the audience when they were not present in the scene. It was a testament to the performance of the fabulous multi-rolling ensemble (Annabella Woodruff, Meg Isaac, Darcy Kelly, and Olivia Mills) that this never distracted from the action onstage, their dynamic positions acting as interesting visuals that complimented the set itself.
incorporating physical theatre throughout the production as an incredibly effective storytelling device
Charlotte Reese’s direction of Doctor Faustus cast the play in a unique light. For example, incorporating physical theatre throughout the production as an incredibly effective storytelling device. There was also a comedic aspect of the play that I had not anticipated but nonetheless thoroughly enjoyed. For example, the summoning of Mephistopheles with nonsense words sprinkled in and the subsequent mispronunciation of the demon’s name – a running gag which drew laughter from the audience each time.
Molly Squires was wonderful as the mischievous Mephistopheles, winning the audience over with a perfect evil smirk and excellent touches to the character such as dry sarcasm and a red leather jacket reading ‘queer as in f*ck you’.
the casting of Doctor Faustus left nothing to be desired
The same can be said about Jess Beadle-Plat as the titular Doctor Faustus who brought the character to life with their dynamic energy (so much so that Mephistopheles suffered a black eye on opening night!) and brought a contemporary light to the character. In my eyes, the casting of Doctor Faustus left nothing to be desired.
Following the fast-paced drama of Act One, the second Act was a celebration of life following the marked disappearance of Mephistopheles – although, they remained onstage, reminding the audience of Faustus’ pact with the devil. This was the perfect tragic backdrop to the ending that had been revealed in the first Act: that Doctor Faustus was destined for Hell.
It included touchingly intimate scenes between Faustus and those around them, experiencing the real human connection that they had previously been blind to in their quest for knowledge. These were sober scenes with little physical theatre and extravagant lighting – which, while effective in the rest of the play, allowed focus to remain on the powerful relationships alone.
mourning the loss of Faustus’ humanity once and for all in a powerfully delivered closing monologue
It must be said that I, perhaps like others familiar with the original play, was awaiting the scene in which Faustus is dragged to Hell in a desperate struggle, which never came in this adaptation. Originally, the end of the play where Faustus calmly accepts their fate was a little underwhelming. However, I do appreciate the subtlety of the director’s choice which gave the ending a more tragic and sombre tone, mourning the loss of Faustus’ humanity once and for all in a powerfully delivered closing monologue by Jess Beadle-Platt.
Ultimately, this production of Doctor Faustus was highly effective, and I’d personally like to say a huge well done to all those involved! And as the curtain falls on this production of Doctor Faustus, I am left with only one question: did Laura Denison ever finish that damn puzzle?
Emma Hornsby
Featured image courtesy of Alex Watkin. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
In-article images courtesy of @faustus.nnt via Instagram.com. No changes were made to this image.
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