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Reviews The Tragicall History of Dr. Faustus Reviewed by Sherry Deatrick Entire contents are copyright © 2009 Sherry Deatrick. All rights reserved. Grab a seat at the MeX for Savage Rose Theatre's splendid production of this classic and you'll experience it as its original audiences did. True, they didn't have strobe lights and smoke machines or Rob Zombie's "Living Dead Girl" to get you in the mood before the show in the late 1500's, yet under J. Barrett Cooper's magnificent direction, you'll feel as though you're seeing the action through the eyes of a typical Elizabethan theatregoer. It's magical. The Tragicall History of Dr. Faustus was a major breakthrough in theatre in that the characters are more than mere symbols of good and evil as in traditional morality plays. Here, the protagonist is a complex character, a common man wrestling with his own sins. Dr. Faustus (Tad Chitwood) rose from humble beginnings, as the chorus tells us, to become a great scholar. He is hard at work in his study, reading great works of philosophy, medicine and law but finding nothing of real value. He scoffs at the Bible and turns to necromancy to get satisfaction. A "good angel" (Nathan Kaplin) tries to warn him away from the dark arts, while an "evil angel" (Elizabeth Cox) urges him to dive in. The temptation is overwhelming. But as we've learned from the fundies, playing around with cards and magic is a surefire way to meet the Devil. Soon, Dr. Faustus, in a magic red circle, intones mystical incantations to call forth sinister forces. He's bathed in blood red and fiery yellow lights while pointing out the magical glyphs drawn in the circle. Success! A demon too horrible to behold appears through the smoke. In a test of his newfound power, Dr. Faustus commands the spirit to change its appearance. Mephastophilis (Hallie Kirk) reappears as a beautiful zombie-like woman with a magnificent lace headdress with two "horns" on each side, wearing a gown trimmed in leather.
Everyone knows what happens next. Dr. Faustus makes his deal with the devil and in return Mephastophilis has to serve the master doctor for 24 years. Before he makes the deal, Dr. Faustus relishes the joys that await him once he gains unlimited power. He has big plans to rule the world! Sometimes it's better to dream of a life of unbridled pleasure and glory, for as Loretta Lynn tells us, the devil gets his due. The years fly by, leaving Dr. Faustus with little to show for them. He has a good bit of fun as an invisible trickster at a feast attended by the Pope and the Cardinal of Lorraine (who sounds like Truman Capote and wears a Nixon mask). Mephastophilis joins in the rib-tickling pestering of the friars who curse them in chants. Such blasphemy must have been extremely shocking to the Elizabethan crowd. This scene, along with the sacreligious mocking tone used often by Mephastophilis and other demons to great effect, is chilling even to modern jaded audiences. But are a few laughs and pranks worth the price of one soul, let alone the thousand that Faustus offered to give up to the devil he doesn't believe in? Tad Chitwood immerses himself totally in the role of the tortured Dr. Faustus. He uses a wide range of emotion - from flat, soft delivery when his worldy knowledge fails to satisfy him, to impassioned pleas for mercy that he knows he doesn't deserve while facing up to what it means to spend an eternity in hell. He shows innocent delight while being entertained by writhing wraiths and masked spirits emulating the seven deadly sins, clapping like a child at the circus. This is Chitwood at his finest. His final scene is unforgettable. He fidgets with his hands to show us how he can't bear to accept the futility of his attempts to break his pact with Lucifer (Cory Long). Hallie Kirk is riveting as Mephastophilis. She's like a cross between Nina Hagen and Helena Bonham Carter, both in appearance and delivery. She excels admirably in this challenging role. She shows subtle signs of jealousy when Dr. Faustus pays attention to mortal women but is nowhere to be found when he's making out with Helen of Troy (Elizabeth Cox). Perhaps it was only a dream of unattainable salvation. Tony Prince, as Wagner, Dr. Faustus's attendant, offers flawless comic relief as a sort of lascivious jester. Eric Frantz is commanding in his various roles, especially as the Emperor who longs to meet his ancestor, Alexander the Great. The entire cast is excellent and enthusiastic, which goes a long way in making the show a success. Shana Lincoln's costumes (especially for Mephastophilis) are striking and evocative of the era (except for modern soled shoes worn by some). A few minor mishaps on opening night were adroitly handled without fuss. (A backdrop was pulled down accidentally; a friar forgot to wipe the pie off her face before becoming an ostler in her next scene.) The masks were designed by the company and rival the work of Le Petomane's. Marisa Barnes's sound design and choreography round out the show with haunting music and fluid dance moves by the very flexible demons (one of whom is played by Barnes). This year, Louisvillians have an abundance of scary plays to choose from to celebrate Halloween. But if you want to be really frightened, don't miss this production. It has a nice balance of humor, ghoulishness, and mortal terror -- the perfect recipe for October, when the veil between the spirit world and ours is at its thinnest. Advisory: This play contains mature subject matter, strobe lights, partial nudity, and smoke.
Featuring Tad Chitwood, Hallie Kirk, Tony Prince, Cory Long, Elizabeth Cox, Nathan Kaplin, Eric Frantz, Tom Schulz, Kelly Moore, and Marisa Barnes.
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