The Hysteria of Dr. Faustus

See it if An offbeat show with an intriguing plot line with some good twists and turns appeals to you. Good set and lighting design.

Don't see it if You’re not prepared to sit through a LONG play. There’s a great 90-120 minute play in the three hours you are presented with.

See it if you are interested in the long history of the tale of Dr. Faustus: this is a contemporary variant as morality tale for our times.

Don't see it if you do not like long plays that make you think, or plays that put ethical concerns on trial, or productions in a highly intimate space.

Also Two fine performances anchor “THE HYSTERIA OF DR FAUSTUS,” a contemporary morality tale. Those performances are from playwright Brandon Walker & director Erin Cronican, the driving forces behind The Seeing Place Theater, a troupe that for 9 years has produced a steady stream of important modern plays & contemporary twists on older classics. This take on Faustus draws a bit from Marlowe & from Goethe, but its bold deviations count most. A decrepit Faustus delivering an opening lecture to the audience was very funny & set up the ethical dilemma: If it’s so damn hard to effect change to benefit humankind, why not turn to selfish gain? The play is a bit too long; it gets a bit baggy halfway through Act 2. But having Mephistopheles take over the body of Faustus’s guy Friday, Wagner, & fusing the love interests from Goethe (Gretchen) with the walk-on from Marlowe (Helen of Troy) are the kind of inspired strokes I expect from this troupe, & keep me coming back to their sharp, valuable work.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to be immersed into the story of Faust with a new take by a young cast. Lots done with a small set and good lighting.

Don't see it if you can't sit for a while as this production could be a light tighter.

See it if Old tale in the new twist. Making a pack with the Devil is not all as it seems to be.

Don't see it if It is a little bit too long. And if the mention of God bothers you. Small theater, not the best seats to sit in.

Also It does need trimming down in some areas and I'm sure in time it well get edited and changed around but the lead actor was excellent.... Read more Read less

See it if you know the story & are prepared for a riveting contemporary take; enjoy good dramas & want to support small passionate theater companies.

Don't see it if you're too bougie for your own good & expect spit-shine polish every time you sit @ a live show, whether On, Off, Off-Off, or in a loft.

Also Perfect? No. Entertaining? DEF.

This small company & crew puts on some seriously good theater. Their passion is palpable. You can see (literally) & almost taste the blood sweat & tears put into their craft.

Playwright Brandon Walker ("Faustus / Henry Faust") wrote an intelligent script that needs a little editing from an outside/unbiased eye. Here, his performance wasn't as assured as "I Am My Own Wife" but he's still a commanding presence. Broghanne Jessamine (sweet "Gretchen") goes in & out of her natural Scottish accent, yet almost steals the show.

I love director Erin Cronican ("Wagner" & "Mephistopheles") but her disconnect felt like an understudy had taken over.

It's wordy (pretty @ times), but unfortunately gets sloppy in Act 2. All performers mixed-up their lines & transitions weren't as smooth. It all tries to come together & resolve too quickly. Tightened, this show might not feel as slow or long.

Still, a riveting & thought-provoking experience. I would see a re-boot.... Read more Read less

See it if You like intimate, intelligent theatre with great acting and a clever script.

Don't see it if You are looking for a big production or a 90 minute show.

See it if A talented relatable cast and rewrite breathes new life into the old tale in intimate surroundings.

Don't see it if You want a fully polished fable. This slightly ragged script tries hard to cover all bases.

See it if You want to see a play that will fit in nicely with Halloween around the corner. You want to support a great theatre company.

Don't see it if You dislike blood, visceral self-harm. You are a Goethe purist. (Do those exist? They must.)

Also "Thanks Sam!" -Henry Faust.

How did I come to receive a personal thank you from renowned British author Henry Faust? You'll have to attend to find out.

The Hysteria of Dr. Faust, in its best moments, is a delightfully macabre dark comedy. Brandon Walker's Faustus and Erin Cronican's Mephistopheles have wonderful chemistry together.

The play is delight when mired in the rather bureaucratic banter concerning rules, regulations and the like.

Where the show drags is in the drama. While Broghanne Jassamine has an intensely effective scene in act II, the drama doesn't land as hard in general as the laughs.

There are some really wonderful pieces of staging thoughout the show that make great use of the stage and surrounding areas.

The lighting and projections are effective. The set design serviceable, though not particularly inspired.

Hysteria is already an enjoyable October outing but it might do even better leaning into its more comedic tendencies.... Read more Read less

See it if you love the legend and want to see it applied to modern life.

Don't see it if you don't like updatings of legends

See it if you want a 21st century take on Dr. Faustus, here an old man who foolishly thinks he can gain through a deal with the devil. Nope, he loses.

Don't see it if long plays that need better direction and editing try your patience, or you don't care for morality tales, this one being quite Christian.

Also Jim Jim Jim liked the performances of playwright Brandon Walker & director Erin Cronican, both of 9-year-old Seeing Place Theater. Yes, in spots, but there were also too many very weak spots. Others commented on the mix here of bits from Marlowe & Goethe, namely Gretchen from Goethe and Helen of Troy from Marlowe. And yes, I did laugh (loudly) at one point during the decrepit Faustus' opening lecture, when a student named himself as a modern comic book character (if I recall). But mostly Jim is on target about the play's length and its bagginess. A friend who came with me said she "never enjoyed a bad play so much," but I think she referred mostly to the company, and not the company of actors or the play. For us, hardly the worst we've ever seen but also decidedly not a winner.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see the work of a talented actor/playwright who has presented an update of one man's deal with the devil.

Don't see it if You do not want to see creative work in a small, intimate setting. This was engrossing.

See it if you want to see the fierce first 45 min. of the play which is pretty much a one-man tour de force by the titular actor/playwright Walker.

Don't see it if after the first bit, during which the writing is at its best (so good that I wish it had been a one-man show), you want to endure the rest.

See it if you like high energy for a long, 2+ hours, some blood and a play about the devil and the occult. I really enjoyed everything about this show

Don't see it if are afraid of blood and the devil

See it if if you want to see an ambitious take of the Faustian story... and have a LOT of time on your hands.

Don't see it if you're looking for consistency and a tight script. Good ideas scattered about, but little attention to plot details leaves you confused.

Also The piece would have benefited from some outside artistic input as the whole creative team seems to have let this good idea go off the rails and lose focus due to lack of perspective from a creative staff too close to the project to see it's flaws.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to leave a theater with a smile on your face. I loved it. Playwright/actor was excellent.

Don't see it if you don't like to be up close to the acting. (no stage)

See it if This classic story is very appropriate for what we are experiencing in today's world. Self absorbed selfish greed and its repercussions.

Don't see it if It needs a nip and tuck with editing. Don't care about morality being confronted. Not willing to be patient as a layered story unfolds.

See it if You want to experience an original adaptation, and points of view on the archetypal story of Faust with a young ensemble cast;

Don't see it if You want a traditional rendition that does not pose contemporary/new questions to ponder that the writer puts in the second act and ending

See it if you enjoy plays, you enjoy philosophical issues, you like the story of Faust, and/or you want a different theater experience.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy smaller productions, you don't like plays that deal with morality, and/or you don't like mention of religion.

Also This was definitely an interesting experience and a very profound and thought-provoking play. The acting was pretty good and the actors did a wonderful job with their deliverance. The writing was very well done and captivating. The pacing was a bit slow at first but quickly picked up. Although the space was very intimate, the actors all did a fantastic job utilizing it throughout the performance. Overall, it was a nice interpretation of Faust and I highly recommend it.... Read more Read less

See it if you like the original and want to see it updated but not transformed, you’d like to see some masterful performances

Don't see it if you don’t like slow moving plays, you are distracted by bad special effects

See it if You love small plays, small sets & sits super close to the actors. The audience participation was cute.

Don't see it if You dislike blood, religion & devilish acts.

See it if You enjoy a twisted story about tricky demons.

Don't see it if You are uber religious.

See it if Oh my God, I almost didnt get to see this show. So glad I did. It is frightening, insightful, intriguing, and leaves a lasting impact.

Don't see it if If you are easily offended when it comes to religion or if you scare easily.

See it if you enjoy themes of good vs. bad, christianity, and sci-fi.

Don't see it if it's an outdated production mixed with 90s film-influenced sci-fi moments, and generic overly simplified depcition of good vs bad

See it if Interesting concept-beginning set the tone- over played at times- too much prose. Lots of detail to absorb- transitioning awkward- slow slow

Don't see it if You're expecting excellent acting. Story is intriguing but executed in a slow confusing wordy execution. Characters went flat sometimes.

Also I really wanted to like and enjoy it- as there were some interesting twists and turns- but Henry- overplayed it a bit too much- Gretchen was one dimensional even after self aborting. The devil was quite good-but too wordy and lost energy in the delivery and morphing from scene to scene.
Martha- I felt was reciting lines- but there was energy in her I waited for but not released. Oh well. Set design was amazingly well done. Visuals made up for other stuff not happening.... Read more Read less

See it if You like dark humor, modern retellings of classic stories, being up-close-and-personal with the actors. (Also good for Halloween.)

Don't see it if Stage blood makes you sick, or you don't want to sit through a pretty long play.