REVIEW

DR FAUSTUS

Corn Exchange, Dorchester

QUITE a lot to enjoy, that is what you get when you see Dorchester Drama’s latest production of a play that was written over 500 years ago by Christopher Marlowe but which has a surprisingly up to date story line.

Faustus is an academic who believes that, having learned all there is to know about the world, he needs to delve into the mysteries of magic spells and communicating with the dead.

Agreeing to sell his soul to the devil, he then changes his mind but things start to go awry and he winds up as the joker in the pack instead of the intellectual genius he believes himself to be.

Sam Kelly bravely takes on the dominant role of Faustus with a masterly performance in which he brings to the part the right combination of self aggrandisement and regret. As the devil’s demon Mephistophilis, Cassandra Grindley is both sexy and sensible as she acts as adviser and general factotum to Faustus.

Tom Horsington is suitably restrained as the servant and Martin Stephen is a surprisingly likeable Lucifer in a play with nearly 40 roles, all played with skill and dedication by the cast of 16 quick change actors who glide from being personification of the seven deadly sins to Henry V111 and from being royalty and the Pope to daft country folk.

Under the direction of Sean Colledge, the action ranges from committing self harm to riotous physical comedy , all performed with skill and taste in this fascinating play that nicely blends modernised text with passages in Latin, a challenge that the cast and crew cope with well.

For an amazing play that gives you plenty to think about, go along to the Corn Exchange where it continues until the end of the week with a matinee on Saturday.

MARION COX