The Faustus Project is an improvised theatre show lasting an hour, created by Half Trick. It is being performed on the Belly Laugh stage in the Underbelly Cowgate venue.
In each performance, a different Fringe performer is brought into a production of Marlowe’s Dr Faustus – a play in which a man (Faustus) sells his soul to the devil – to play the titular role. The twist is that the performer has had no chance to rehearse with the rest of the cast, only has a copy of the original script to work from, and must go along with whatever jokes and tricks the four cast members (Caden Scott, Courtney Bassett, Alex Medland and Moira Hamilton) have in store.
The reason why The Faustus Project works so well is because of the talent of the four cast members and their ability to guide the guest performer through the different sections of the show, all while maintaining their own composure in the face of the often absurd occurrences onstage.
Scott excelled at keeping their composure in their role of Mephistopheles, providing a sharp and comedic comparison to the guest performer in their scenes together. This contrasts with the more physical-based humour of Bassett, Medland and Hamilton’s roles – all of these performers fully committed to their roles, willing to go along with anything proposed by the guest performer, a key reason why the show is so amusing and its format works so well.
The script manages to find the right balance between providing a framework for the show with some scripted lines from the original play and allowing for the guest performer to improvise their own moments with the aid of the cast. The result is that one does not need to understand or know the plot of Dr Faustus in order to enjoy this production.
The Faustus Project is filled with endless jokes, a talented cast, and an unsuspecting featured performer – all of these factors come together to create a show that is completely hysterical and a very unique retelling of a classic text.
