Doctor Faustus might not be your first choice for a night of comedy, but Half Trick Theatres The Faustus Project delivers a laugh a minute as a cast of four bring on a guest, Juliette Burton in Brighton, to take the lead in a show they haven’t read, seen, or rehearsed.
Led by artistic directors Courtney Bassett and Caden Scott and directed by Scott, The Faustus Project turns Christopher Marlowe’s 17th century show on its head. Scott plays Mephistopheles (or Mr Mistoffolees to Barton), the demon. Bassett is joined by Alex Medland and Moira Hamilton to play the rest of the roles. The four between them also take responsibility for Burton as she is guided through the ritual to summon Mephistopheles and then through the play.
The Faustus Project is more than just fun; it is clever, well-crafted, and (with the exception of Burton) incredibly well rehearsed. The concept is open to numerous issues, not least the unpredictability of an unrehearsed performer, but none of these come to fruition as each moment is performed with clarity and precision.
Bassett and Medland, each talented in their own right, are a brilliant double act as an angel and a devil and also as Pride and Envy. In my ways, Bassett takes a lead in the show, and her turn as Helen of Troy left the audience speechless (no spoilers here). The third of the three ensemble performers, Hamilton, is equally skilled. In fact, there is no weak actor in The Faustus Project.
The set, as normal at Fringe, is simple; two flight cases on which sit the props needed for the show and a chair. Those props, ranging from a plate of cupcakes to a shot of soy sauce and from a puppet (controlled by Hamilton) to a live grasshopper.
For her part, Burton, threw herself into the chaos without hesitation, a successfully cast guest appearance which added to the show not only through her playing of the part but also through sharing the audience’s confusion. She doesn’t pretend to know more than she does, revelling in the unfolding show as she asks the audience to look out for her, as she asks the audience for guidance on where in the script she is, and as she offers cupcakes to the audience. It is a tough ask to jump into a show with no rehearsal, but it is the core element of this production, and Burton – with the support of the cast – does it expertly.
Reviewed on Monday 25 May.
The Faustus Project will run at the Edinburgh Fringe in August.
