We went last night to see the Colorado premiere of David Davalos' Wittenberg up at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival at CU Boulder.
It's 1517 at Wittenberg University, where a dithering senior — a Danish prince named Hamlet — is being torn in two directions by his Philosophy prof., one Dr. John Faustus, and his Theology prof., one Dr. Martin Luther. Faustus is trying to expand his understanding of the world and his role in it — philosophically, scientifically, experientially, and pharmacologically. Luther is trying to preach the will of God, even though he's growing more and more disenchanted with the pecuniary practices of the Church ("Tetzel!"). The two professors' internal and external conflicts focus on Hamlet, who's trying to decide what to do with his life — and who's about to receive some sad news from home …
It's an odd but entertaining show, alternately full of foreshadowing lines (esp. from Hamlet) and humor, and some fairly heavy philosophical / theological debating. For all it's about making choices, all three men are (as is hammered home at the end of the show) heading toward their own inexorable dates with destiny, fictional or otherwise.
I'm not sure that the scenes aren't better taken individually than as a whole, as the show veers between near-camp and deep thought, taking its subjects and players with deadly seriousness one moment and for ridicule the next. Hamlet's is the weakest role, next really coming into his own as a character (both intentionally but also inadvertently), more of a focal point between Faustus and Luther. There's an imbalance, as well, between the two frenemy professors, the Faustus getting a good chunk more of the limelight (stage-wise and story-wise) than Luther, which led to things feeling a bit askew.
But the individual routines were good, the overarching tale both amusing and intriguing, the use of mixed modern and Elizabethan English interesting, and, best of all, it was all well acted: Benjamin Bonenfant as Hamlet, Lawrence Hecht as Faustus, and Howard Swain as Martin Luther, with Mare Trevathan in all the women's roles, from the Virgin Mary to Helen to Gretchen.
Overall quite an enjoyable way to kick off the CSF season.
More on the show here: http://www.coloradoshakes.org/csf-features-colorado-and-regional-premieres-%E2%80%9Cwittenberg%E2%80%9D
Next week: Much Ado About Nothing.
Yeppers, some really great lines for both the Faustus and Luther characters, and all of the delightful foreshadowing for all three of the mains.
Loved the TETZEL! Interjections, it really was a good comical bit that would lead to the "about a hundred points" later on.
Yes, Faustus did have the better and more lines, but hey, it's Faustus a great character just like Falstaff.
That said my favorite parts were when Luther and Faustus were debating life the universe and everything.
+Stan Pedzick Agreed. Hamlet is there mostly to given them a chance to talk with each other (the "circling" scene was delightful).
Teaser trailer for the show (no dialog, alas): https://youtu.be/l7HJOdOYaaY