Faust Chroma

“I’m encouraging people to go along because it stimulates and entertains; because it’s sensual, relevant and rich; because it’s damn good theatre.” - Creon Upton, publicaddress.net

Free Theatre presents its award-winning* Faust Chroma - an “erotic and insightful exploration of guilt, evil, repression and the importance of art” (Berenike, Canta). It has been described by reviewers as “masterful and engaging,” “visually startling,” and a “creative coalescence of movement and speech.”

Goethe’s Faust is to Germany what Shakespeare’s Hamlet is to the English-speaking world: the greatest play, by the greatest author, creating the greatest national role. Faust is the prototype German character, always striving, never satisfied, who gets seduced into a pact with the devil.

Gustav Gründgens is widely considered the best German actor of all time. He is most famous for playing the role of the devil (Mephistopheles) in productions of Faust that he himself directed. Though he played Mephistopheles, the real-life figure Gründgens had perhaps more in common with Faust, having himself made a pact with the Nazis. Hermann Göring, the designated successor of Hitler, appointed Gründgens as head of all the state-run theatres in the Reich.

In the early ‘60s, Gründgens decided to quit acting and instead “live real life” by travelling the world. His first trip was to Manila, Philippines, where he died suddenly in his hotel room. Suicide was suspected.

Faust Chroma begins in Manila, 1963, where Gründgens’ fever hallucinations and drug-induced rants awaken scenes from both his theatrical productions and his life. Theatre and life are mixed up throughout: Gründgens played roles in both. For Gründgens, it seems, a decision to quit acting was a decision to quit living as well.

In the Free Theatre production, scenes from Faust interplay with scenes from Gründgens’ life to explore how, in modern times, performers have taken the place of politicians and politicians have become actors. As with the chameleon, changing colours is the key to survival and power in our time.

Directed by Peter Falkenberg. Text by Werner Fristch.

- Best Theatre, Dunedin Fringe Festival, April 2008

Event listed by freetheatre

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