"Not the simplistic Punch and Judy type, but rather the more sophisticated variety, detailed and realistic effigies skilfully manipulated to tell a complex story in ways that enraptures both children and adults. So my ears pricked up when I heard that the Coronet Theatre would be hosting a show intriguingly entitled Faustus in Africa! combining the talents of the Handspring Puppet Company and the South African artist, film director and animator William Kentridge."
"The centuries-old cautionary tale of the man who strikes a pact with the devil, selling his soul in exchange for youth, power and knowledge, most famously told by the German poet Goethe, forms the basis of Faustus in Africa! It is, however, modified to speak of Africa today, and the moral compromises that define its politics and choices. The set is a dusty old office with wooden desks, an old-fashioned manual typewriter and a telephone exchange, with glass-fronted cabinets full of files and bulging dossiers."
Faustus in Africa unites the Handspring Puppet Company and South African artist William Kentridge to rework the Faust legend for contemporary African contexts. Handspring's repertoire includes the life-like horses from War Horse, and Kentridge's multi-disciplinary work featured in a 2022 Royal Academy exhibition. The production frames the centuries-old cautionary tale of a man who sells his soul for youth, power and knowledge as a commentary on modern African political moral compromises. The stage is a dusty office with desks, a manual typewriter, a telephone exchange and glass-fronted cabinets of files. Charcoal animations on a large screen supply changing locations and pictorial commentary. A gaunt Faustus puppet is manipulated by two men.
Read at www.london-unattached.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]