Spooky season is well underway, and if you’re a fan of the dark, mysterious, magical arts then you’ll absolutely want to add Doctor Faustus to your to-do list! A fantastic adaptation of Christopher Marlowe’s beloved play, Doctor Faustus will send shivers up your spine! Directed by Dandelion Theatre’s Artistic Director Max Ackerman, Doctor Faustus is not to be missed!

Doctor Faustus tells the story of the titular scholar who feels that he has accomplished all he can with worldly knowledge. Turning to the arcane and mystical, he meets Mephistophilis who agrees to be his servant to long as Faustus agrees to serve Lucifer and the Devil. Once the deal is struck in blood, the two explore the world, the heavens, and more with Faustus’ new abilities and longer lease on life. As is foretold at the beginning of the story, Lucifer does eventually come to collect Faustus’ debt, leaving us with a spine-chilling ending. I was grateful to hear that Marlowe’s language was still used for this production; it gives the whole play a certain gravitas which would have been missing without the language behind it.

The Small World Center is a perfect location for this production; the intimate seating arrangement and raised stage made for an engaging experience. The simplicity of the set is enhanced by Za Hughes, Ackerman, and Beth Airton’s lighting design and Ackerman and Airton’s costume design which completes the ambiance.

I appreciate that they give you the option to participate or not right at the door. You take a masquerade mask if you’d rather stay hidden in the audience and not participate, or little devil horns if you’re open to being asked to participate. It’s a brilliant idea and the markers they use fit the story so well; it was like Mephistophilis commands their own little army of devils throughout the play. The interaction was really fun, and at the performance I attended the participants got really into it!

Co-adapters James Llewellyn Evans and Augusta “Gus” Monet (a.k.a. Coyote Ugly) star as Faustus and Mephistophilis. Evans gives a stellar performance; his booming voice and command of the stage is mesmerizing from the moment you walk in the theatre. He performs a kind of pantomime of what’s to come before the performance begins, and it’s impressive to witness. Monet performs Mephistophilis alike to their Drag King persona Coyote Ugly and I absolutely loved it. They have an undeniable magnetism to them and it makes them a joy to watch; I could scarce take my eyes off them. The chemistry between the two performers is fabulous; you can feel that they’re working together to take you on this terrifying journey and they do so with expertise and flair. Their passion, along with the rest of the creative team, is evident in every moment of this performance.

Doctor Faustus has just a few performances left, the final one on Halloween itself! You’ll definitely want to make sure you catch this production before it closes! For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.dandeliontheatreto.com/workwithus

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Cover photo by Joshua Evans

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