Review: FAUSTUS: THAT DAMNED WOMAN, Storyhouse Chester
Photo credit: Mark McNulty
Based on the play by infamous playwright Christopher Marlowe and adapted by one of the UK’s most in-demand play writers Chris Bush, Storyhouse Chester is the new home for this reimagining of a classic tale, Faustus: The Damned Woman.
The play has been adapted to have a female protagonist front and centre and explores the darker side of the human condition, what women must sacrifice to achieve greatness and provokes further questions of a woman’s place in today’s society. Transcending over 2,000 years, Johanna Faustus travels through time and attempts to change the course of history by selling her soul to the devil, Lucifer.
The opening scene sets the tone for the play amidst Johanna’s mothers hanging for witchcraft. Olivia Sweeney (Johanna) takes the audience on a journey through time whilst conveying a spectrum of emotions in the search for the truth of her mothers death.
Sweeney is a continuous presence on stage and gives a high intensity performance with only a brief moment off stage in this two-hour play. Their characterisation is perfect for the pacing of this piece of theatre which delves into trauma and abuse.
Supported by a strong ensemble, they use movement and dance, developed with Fallen Angels Dance Theatre, to portray brutal killings and iconic moments in history which was essential for moving the story forward. The character of Mephistopheles, who is bound to Faustus, is played by a different member of the cast throughout the play as they are able to change their form and appearance due to being a fallen angel of Lucifer. This gives each of the ensemble cast the opportunity to portray the character in their unique way, whilst also having coherent characteristics. Dzey Z Smith is a particular stand out for their portrayal of Mephistopheles in the way they expressed their sinister misogynistic treatment of woman in their attempts to summon the devil.
For this original production, Storyhouse have adapted their theatre and removed most of the stalls seating in order to extend the stage to bring the audience closer to the action. The staging provides us with an intimate account of historical events in addition to looking ahead to the future. Whilst the staging facade didn’t change, props, lighting, water and fire are all used effectively to portray different moments in time. Striking staging hits you as you walk into the theatre. A wide open space whilst real trees hang from the top of the stage with nothing more than a few chairs. This space is adorned with fire with the arrival of Lucifer and ambient lighting setting the eery and mysterious mood. Set designers Good Teeth have made use of recycled materials and are used throughout the stage design. Front and centre of the stage design is a ‘well’ built beneath the floor of the stage where characters fill buckets and is also used to portray Faustus moving through time.
Faustus: That Damned Woman deals with extreme themes including death, self harm and suicide. There is also a theatre blackout for around a minute which catches audiences off guard in a pivotal moment of the story. Given the serious nature of the subjects, the writers have inserted comedy to alleviate the dark nature of the play and give some light to the sombre topics. Whilst the majority of comedy does work, at times the it feels a little out of place and distracting from the plot.
The creatives of Faustus: That Damned Woman have created a piece of theatre that is powerful and thought provoking including a cast of stellar performers. Playing at Chester’s Storyhouse for a limited season, you’d be damned to miss out on this exquisite piece of theatre.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Jordan Potts
Faustus: That Damned Woman plays at Storyhouse until 18 February, with further information here.