Faustus: That Damned Woman (NHB Modern Plays) (Nick Hern)

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In my new play, my Faustus is a young woman in 17th-century London, the daughter of a plague doctor father and a herbalist mother who was tried and killed as a witch when Faustus was a girl. She’s grown up with a mistrust of organised religion and a fascination with the occult, and exists on the fringes of society. She has no wealth and little agency. By the time she meets Lucifer she knows the risks but sees his offer as the least bad option available to her. As she tells him: That said, the Faust myth endures because it is universal, and I don’t think any of that changes with this new retelling. It’s still the same story of vaulting ambition, hubris and exceptionalism, of what we’re prepared to sacrifice to achieve greatness, of the tantalising thought that, despite all the evidence, we might finally be the one to outsmart the devil. None of this is lost by having a female Faustus, although hopefully it brings into focus the way in which women are still punished for their ambition in a way men often aren’t. The play has been adapted to have a female protagonist front and centre and explores the darker side of the human condition, what women must sacrifice to achieve greatness and provokes further questions of a woman’s place in today’s society. Transcending over 2,000 years, Johanna Faustus travels through time and attempts to change the course of history by selling her soul to the devil, Lucifer.

Can a woman not – in that most malleable of forms, art – exchange her soul for mortal advantage? Can a woman not write that story? Laying aside the originating historical circumstances – there were numerous references to a German wonder-worker called (Johannes) Faustus in the early-16th century – the imbalance seems particularly odd in the case of this tale. Francesca continued: "In my mind, you’re watching Olivia play Faustus. But if you’d come an hour before, you might have seen another of the ensemble playing Faustus,”

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Associate Director Credits include: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre UK Tour and UK Schools Tour). The final master stroke which adds beauty, excitement and lyricism to the work is the essential role played by movement which sometimes breaks out into exhilarating dance routines devised by Paul Bayes-Kitcher, artistic director of Fallen Angels Dance Theatre with whom this is a co-production. The strength of the performance lies in the physicality of the performers who take on collective movement as easily as they embody the wit and emotion of characters.

Having lost her mother to the witch trials of the 1600s, Johanna seeks to sell her soul to uncover her mothers fate and discover if, as claimed, her mothers name is written in Lucifer’s book. But in considering her trade; her soul for 144 years of unlimited power, the ability to move time forward and to never age; Johanna seeks to use intellect, technology and a fiery grudge to do for others what she could not do for her mother. It’s certainly a compelling idea – albeit one already explored in previous productions like Pauline Randall’s 2018 gender-swapped Faustus at the Globe – but the resulting piece, though impassioned, is unfortunately rather a muddle.Caroline Byrne’s production is atmospheric, which aids some of the more meandering sections of the play. Ana Inés Jabares-Pita’s dark, smoky set has skeletal trees arching over and covered with rough canvas, creating a claustrophobic bomb shelter-like structure; after the fire, ash rains down in a desolate cloud, hauntingly lit by Richard Howell, who also contributes spooky shadows. Ian William Galloway’s projections clarify the time jumps, and underline Johanna’s vengeance spree by scratching off the names of her victims, and Giles Thomas’s sound design adds visceral impact. But this is a piece overflowing with ideas that never really coalesce into a satisfying, coherent drama. The latest reworking of the legend is by Chris Bush. Faustus: That Damned Woman swaps the gender of the main character and presents Mephistopheles (Danny Lee Wynter) as a camp dandy. Johanna Faustus (an emphatic Jodie McNee) is the daughter of a 17th-century apothecary. Her mother has been hanged as a witch, and she despises the fact that this has been done in the name of Christianity. She makes her alliance with the devil so that “I shall do good.” She is determined that education will allow her to be “in thrall to no man”. READ MORE: Thousands line the streets to enjoy welcome return of Chester Pride after a two-year break The play follows the title character as she travels through history, however many elements of misogyny and inequality remain. Sweeney is a continuous presence on stage and gives a high intensity performance with only a brief moment off stage in this two-hour play. Their characterisation is perfect for the pacing of this piece of theatre which delves into trauma and abuse.