Doctor Faustus
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Cititour.com Review
Chris Noth is clearly attracted to playing men of power and arrogance. Having made his mark on TV as hard-nosed Detective Mike Logan on NBC’s “Law & Order,” the aptly named Mr. Big on HBO’s “Sex and the City,” and most recently, as ambitious Illinois governor Peter Florrick on CBS’ “The Good Wife,” Noth is now making a return to the New York stage in the title role of Classic Stage Company’s revival of Christopher Marlowe’s “Doctor Faustus.”
On paper, Noth is a certainly good fit for Faustus, a smart man who rejects such lofty subjects as divinity and logic to take up necromancy (magic) and who eventually sells his soul to the devil for two dozen years of fame, wealth, and power. However, the actor gives a mostly understated performance that deprives some of the tragedy from this famed morality play. Faustus not only wastes what he has been given on practical jokes, but time and again, the basically good doctor tries to correct the errors of his ways, especially as his death approaches, but his efforts are always too little or too late. Sadly, though he speaks the speech well enough, Noth only intermittently makes us care about Faustus’ fate.
Then again, the show’s co-adapter and director, Andrei Belgrader, hardly seems that interested in Marlowe’s text; one gets the feeling that Belgrader believes this is an oft-told-tale that doesn’t really require re-telling. He not only cuts the original text drastically (the show runs a mere two hours), but Belgrader uses the plot more as a way to emphasize the comedy of its clown characters, and to show off his undeniable talent for startling visual effects.
Indeed, Belgrader’s work comes most to life when Lucifer (the white-suited Jeffrey Binder) and his faithful yet downtrodden servant (and Faustus’) Mephistopheles (the ever-excellent Zach Grenier, another “Good Wife” star) put on a show of the “Seven Deadly Sins” to help dissuade the doubting Faustus from repenting to God. There’s also a startling appearance from Helen of Troy (the nimble Marina Lazzaretto), the use of a seemingly old-fashioned magic trick, and a lovely sequence involving the lighting design of Jason Lyons.
Undeniably, the comic bits, reminiscent of Shakespeare’s clowns, shine even brighter than Lyons’ lighting, thanks to the go-for-broke antics of the great Lucas Caleb Rooney as the slightly dim Robin and the delicious Ken Cheeseman as the dumb-as-dirt Dick. (Yes, there are a lot of dick jokes. Many many dick jokes.) Beware if you’re sitting in the first two rows, however, since these two (along with Grenier) may call upon you as an unwitting accomplice.
While far from perfect, this “Faustus” still may just be what the doctor ordered for fans of Noth or theater lovers seeking a mildly diverting evening.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://www.classicstage.org
Cast
Chris Noth, Zach Grenier, Jeffrey Binder, Ken Cheeseman, Carmen M. Herlihy, Walker Jones, Marina Lazzaretto, Geoffrey Owens, Lucas Caleb Rooney
Open/Close Dates
Opening 6/2/2015
Closing 7/12/2015
Box Office
866-811-4111
Theatre Info
CSC
136 East 13th Street
New York, NY 10003
Map
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