Dr Faustus

Dr. Faustus at The Edwardian Public Toilets 

& Hyde and Co. Speakeasy.

       

Another rather obscure evening of eclectic experiences has occurred in Bristol. We combined venturing to the Edwardian Public toilets on Park Row to see Spotlight's production of Dr Faustus with wandering back up to the elusive entrance of the Hyde & Co. speakeasy for some late night mixology. 

Dr Faustus was written in 1604 by the renowned playwright Christopher Marlowe and is widely considered to be the most controversial Elizabethan play beyond the works of William Shakespeare. Spotlights put their own stamp on it by presenting us with a 55 minute condensed version that coaxed us in and left us spellbound. The audience were originally pooled in the women's loos, surrounded by the souvenirs of Faustus's bad behaviour and given a taste of what awaited us. We were then led into the Gentlemen's toilets and invited to take a pillow and sit on the blanket covering the freezing, stone floor. It felt very similar to an interactive Punchdrunk production as the characters made direct content with us, creepily breathed questions against our ears and even unsettlingly offering us a cup of diluted cider ten minutes into the show. 

The inversion of gender in the casting and performance - seamlessly performed by Lucifer and his fuchsia locks- made for an striking interpretation of the text. Faustus certainly held her own in her closing monologue as she brought us down with her into the terror of the depths of hell. The other characters kept us engaged with the plot with the intensity and seductiveness of their expressions and the captivating physicality of the performance. Considering the set was effectively only two cubicles and the small space surrounding the audience, the choreography was seriously impressive. The performance took place on a wide range of levels. Characters were at times raised high upon each other's shoulders then would suddenly be crammed, crouching in claustrophobic corners. They made the best of the vertical space with characters eerily curling around the cubicle doors or suddenly pulling on high heels to be raised up another level and reverse the gender roles again. It was complex and therefore intensely gripping to watch their movement's. 

The key to visual appeal of the performance was undoubtedly the lighting. Given the producer's challenge of blocking the play in a public bathroom, they certainly made the best of the situation by imaginatively having a tech team flashing torches and lanterns, illuminating the actor's faces from amongst the audience (as shown above). It made the performance all the more intimate and entrancing. Brilliantly done, especially when the puppets representing the deadly sins emerged from the cubicles. It really added to the grungy, 90s vibe of the play as did the dishevelled costumes and  hypnotic music, which set the moody atmosphere of the play and altered the pace. The resounding message for me was that although some of the plot was lost on us as a result of the visual appeal of all the distractions and the challenges of the venue our attention was never lost. It was skillfully choreographed to make the best of the space thus creating a brilliantly dynamic, provocative piece of physical theatre, which I would highly recommend a visit to this evening! 

Feeling almost too bewitched by the performance we then wandered back up the hill in search of an evening tipple. I'd always heard rumours about the Hyde & Co. speakeasy and so we decided to look for the sign illustrated with a top hat that lies below Berkley Square. As with the Redlight speakeasy I visited on Tuesday, you buzz the door and an impeccably well-dressed vision of 1920s New York emerges from the darkness.

 Our waiter was charming and unapologetically French with an air of flirtation, which seemed to be well-circulated amongst the clientele! We sat on a low velvet window seat beside the glowing bar, which was piled high with bottles of  beautifully colourful emerald, amber and fuchsia liquors. 

When the menu arrived we were spoilt for choice, it was fabulously complex. I had took a step back and drank an indulgently rich glass of Merlot and the other two were more adventurous drinking a smoked vodka 'Queen Victoria' and a rosewater 'Garden of Eden' cocktail - both sensational. Although the drink prices feel crippling, the experience of remaining in Bristol yet being transported back to this secret world of seductive intrigue and glamour is worth the sacrifice.