The Working Group’s adaptation, by writer Robert Couch of Christopher Marlowe’s 1605 work ‘Doctor Faustus’, was the first play in this year’s B Sharp season at Belvoir Street.

It is 1581 in Wittenberg, Germany. Meet John Faustus, the greatest genius ever. At only twenty two he’s read every book in the world. Meet Mephistophilis; provocateur, cynic, Satan’s personal assistant. Faustus sells his soul to Mephistophilis in exchange for ever increasing knowledge.

This however isn’t your every day purchase. The titanic clash of these two opposites explodes over medieval Europe. Impestuous and passionate, Faustus shatters every barrier the wily devil could create. Defiant to the end, he fights for existence itself.

This Working Class production, its second production as part of a B Sharp season after ‘Knives in Hens’ in 2002, was a vibrant, colourful night at the theatre. About the two leads…I loved one..wasn’t too keen on the other . Amie McKenna was great in her primary role as Mephistophilis (all the actors doubled at some time during the play). She was a feisty, cunning devil. (I loved her bright, bright red high heeled shoes). I wasn’t too keen on Eden Falk as Faustus. This was too big and showy a performance for such an intimate space.

The material to the play was basically serious but director Joseph Couch incorporated some nice comic touches especially through actor Paul Ashton who played Robyn. Couch also imbued the play with a strong theatricality with the use of a large prop box on stage which actors could ‘dip’ into to change or add to their roles. There was some poignant scenes such as when Mephistophilis confronts Faustus with a war scene. It is a problem scene for Faustus who wants to see and know everything, and yet confronted with a dark scene from life isn’t too impressed.

I enjoyed the play’s slow reveal of how cunning Mephistophilis is and how much of what she puts Faustus through has been staged by her-in fact it is a source of much of the play’s fun. This dynamic that runs through the play is rounded up exquisitely at the end with Amie McKenna as Mephistophilis coming to the centre of the stage, and folding her arms and saying ‘well’.

Summing up, The Working Group’s production ‘Faustus’ represented a good start to Belvoir’s B Sharp 2005 season.