Set as a traditional kabuki theatre performance, my production of Christopher Marlowe’s Elizabethan tragedy transports the story from West to East, providing a thrilling cultural change. With inspiration stemming from nineteenth century Japanese woodblock prints, I aimed to show Faustus' extreme sacrifice for excessive power.
Costume design, costume construction and make-up artistry by Katie Taylor. Lucifer and the Bad Angel performed by George Somerset Miles, as photographed by Richie Fu.
"Arch-regent" and "commander of all spirits", Lucifer immediately conjures an image of Japan under feudal rule, his lavish decor and vibrant metallic armour emphasising his elitist power. Though eager to show his prowess, I turned again conventional portrayals of the devil in search of a more whimsical approach, with bold, linear kumadori make-up, ecclectic jet-black hair and traditional samurai fur boots.
L U C I F E R
Kabuki staging of Doctor Faustus.
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Here I depict the Bad Angel as an onryo, the most dreaded type of ghost in 19th century Japanese folklore, known for their of rage and jealousy. She is disfigured and dishevelled, her traditional blue kumadori make-up revealing her cold-blooded nature. With her she carries a sick token; the head of a beautiful young courtesan, her fresh blood dripping down her chest, a symbol of her revengeful nature.