Melissa Chalsma, director of this rendition of Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus, has a lot of fun taking an Elizabethan-era play that is basically a debate between good and evil (represented by Good Angel Natalia Echeverria and Bad Angele Daniel DeYoung, respectively), and making it into a romp. Although we’re all familiar with Shakespeare, his contemporary, Marlowe, is much less known. Partly because he died young under suspicious circumstances, though, his existing works have intrigued scholars, and none more than this legend of the infamous magician, Dr. Faustus.
It is a cautionary tale, to be sure, but Marlowe used the story to examine the very tenets of his religion. It is said that Faustus falls, not from a tragic flaw, but because of his reach. Now, under the stars at Griffith Park, Faustus, played by Co-Artistic Director, David Melville, tests the limits of curiosity, greed and quest for power.
Surrounded by trees at the Old Zoo, a single platform transforms from Faustus’ study to the depths of hell, as Faustus conjures up Mephistopheles (the beautiful Kalean Ung) who promises to fulfill his every wish in exchange for, you know, that silly thing called “soul.” The question is not so much “Will he fall into hell?” as “How.” And director Chalsma has fun with chopping off heads, transforming servants into animals (more heads), and conjuring up the seven deadly sins.
The highlight, for me, is the “Seven Deadly Sins” segment, set to music by Dave Beukers and none other than David Melville with a slammin’ rock beat. Marlowe’s descriptions become the lyrics describing each “sin” as players emerge one by one from the trap door that represents hell. But a close second is Mephistopheles’ solo as she is congratulated for obtaining Faustus’ soul by none other than Lucifer (Brent Charles).
The charm— and the challenge— of IndieShakes’ production is the number of characters each actor is charged with performing. Here, most of them play at least three and as many as six different roles. But they churn through the play with such alacrity, it just seems as though this is a cast of thousands. It is a testament to Chalsma’s and Melville’s performing ethic, which has steered this company through 22 seasons in the park. And, of course, none of it would work without set design (Maya Channer), Lighting (Bosco Flanagan); the Elizabethan-ish costumes (Yasamin Sarabipour), and especially “head” design (Sophia Wolfe and Aurelia Garlock).
Dr. Faustus continues Wednesday through Sunday at 7 pm in the Dell at the Old Zoo location in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California 90027, through August 31. (Free parking available at the MerryGoRound, lots 2 & 3). Be sure to arrive early to walk up to the site. General admission is FREE on the slopes surrounding the platform-in-the -round, but reservations are requested. There are seats available at $60. Call 818-710-6306 or reserve online at www.indieshakes.org.
