Review: FAUSTUS THE DAMNED/Temporal Horizons at Barons Court Theatre 30th May - 4th June 2022

‘Brave and inventive, promising work from Temporal Horizons’ ★★★

This striking adaptation of Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus is both brave and inventive.  Edina Hadley is very assured in her role as a female Faustus who sells her soul to the Devil in exchange for everything she wants in her lifetime. Her final scenes in which she has to accept that her life is coming to an end, and she must suffer eternal damnation is extremely well achieved and thought provoking. Elliot Beau’s final speech as Wagner is also very well played out, with immaculate pace.

The play is set in the period of Hitler’s rise to power in Germany allowing the company to engage in a cabaret theme. At times there are also elements of carnival and horror.   The puppet was inspired, including its voice, which was creepy and distinctive. If only it had been possible for the mouth to be ‘speaking’ when no one was operating it (perhaps by using animation). 

The quality of the acting tended to be a bit uneven, with some actors not being totally convincing in their roles throughout the show.  Perhaps it needs time to settle in or there could be more consideration to some interior life or perhaps a stronger sense of verfremdungseffekt (if this works better). The actors have a tremendous amount of work to do in the show and they did work extremely hard.   The dance numbers were excellent. The clown scene with the dirty jokes would be better sung and with more attention to drawing the audience in (it needs to be entertaining as it’s not hugely funny).  The Pope scene had everyone leaning forward because they didn’t want to miss a thing, but it could be even better with more attention to pacing (for example it might start slow and then speed up to its climax).

The vulgarity in the cabaret scenes fitted extremely well with the German cabaret style but having seen the real thing, it’s not quite as slick and polished as it should be.  The idea of coupling the show with the rise of Hitler is a terrific idea but it needs to be clearer. Just wish that the whole show had more time to be manicured and fully established. 

It's promising work from Temporal Horizons Theatre and director Harry Fitzpatrick; extremely ambitious, but a little patchy in execution. 

FAUSTUS THE DAMNED

Presented by Temporal Horizons Theatre

at Barons Court Theatre

30th May - 4th June 2022

Box Office https://app.lineupnow.com/event/faustus-the-damned

Creatives

Adapted and directed by Harry Fitzpatrick

Composer – Edward Dimitri Kennaway

Cast

Faustus - Edina Hadley

Mephistopheles – Lulia Pal

Wagner – Elliot Beau

Clown, Pope, Good Angel, Bad Angel – Millie Wilkie

Reviewer

Heather Jeffery, Editor of London Pub Theatres Magazine