When my family visited Germany several decades ago, our hosts took us to several medieval torture museums, castles with dungeons and chains, and a tour of the concentration camp remains in Dachau. The itinerary of our so-called relaxation time raised the question, “Is this really how we wanted to spend our family vacation?”
That same ilk of gloomy question hangs over Christopher Marlowe’s tragic play “Dr. Faustus,” set in late 16th century Germany, except that the protagonist asks, “Is Hell really where I want to spend my eternity?”
All jokes about my hellish vacation to Germany aside, Director FL Henley and Narҫisse Theatre Company deliver us an appropriately evil show full of gloom and serious questions to grapple with.
Although Doctor John Faustus (Chris Gibson) is already professionally accomplished, he longs for more in terms of material wealth and power. With a waxy necromantic spell book in hand and a pentagram chalked onto the floor, he conjures the devil to make a deal: to have Mephistopheles (Erika Eberly) do his bidding for 24 years, at the conclusion of which he will trade his soul.
Gibson delivers the audience an exceptional Dr. Faustus, with inner dialogue exploding onstage in strings of soliloquies, with some of them in Latin. Gibson infuses his character with a brash sense of pride, making him unlikeable and unsympathetic. Then later, his vulnerability and desperation make him only slightly less so.
In contrast, the dark energy Eberly brings to Mephistopheles is more of a slow burn. Until it isn’t. Aloof and cunning, she bides her time, playing along with Dr. Faustus, accommodating his every whim. Until she doesn’t. Often, it’s the deliberate mannerisms and gestures that Eberly gives her character that say even more than her dialogue.
There are but a few lightning bolts of comedy in “Dr. Faustus,” although they are straight from the gallows. Benvolio (Daniel Hutchins) is a boorish drunk who trades vengeful barbs and jabs with Dr. Faustus. Throughout all Benvolio’s antics, Hutchins nails this character with self-righteous indignation as his leading emotion.
In a spirit of mentoring, learning and community building, this play features a cast of enthusiastic novice actors amongst the more seasoned, with a few actors even making their theater debuts. Particularly excellent was the convincing (and sometimes intentionally slow-motion) stage combat, as well as the portrayals of the Seven Deadly Sins (Tai Allen, Aaron Bomar, Daniel Hutchins, Kamden Fowler, Eric Richardson, Linde Stern and Benjamin Wesley) shown in the shadows of demonic orange light.
It would be simple for any of us to remain on the outside of Dr. Faustus’ experience and judge it. We may vow that we would never strike a deal with the devil. Why would anyone trade 24 years of pleasure for a lifetime of torture? But Henley reminds us that a devilish deal need not be made officially. If we step inside Faustus’ character and think about the time and other parts of ourselves we trade for the material wealth we accumulate on earth, we might dig deeper to find compassion for Dr. Faustus’ sin of pride.
This legend/play brings forth other serious questions about grave topics: morality, repentance, personal fulfillment, desire, choices. Those are for you and your plus-one to pore over during the “third act,” complete with poured coffee and your choice of angel food cake or devil’s food cake.
“Dr. Faustus” is Narҫisse Theatre Company’s first production in their new space. The outdoor courtyard setting lends additional spookiness, especially when combined with the macabre castle setting and being surrounded by things that go bump in the night. May you all make it home from the theater a half hour before the devil knows you’re dead.
“Dr. Faustus” runs Sept.1-3, 6-9 at Narcisse Theatre Company, 312 Chestnut St., Harrisburg, in the theater’s new courtyard. Find more information at www.narcissetheatre.org.
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