''Faustus'' is a two act play by

David Mamet David Alan Mamet (; born November 30, 1947) is an American playwright, author, and filmmaker. He won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony Award, Tony nominations for his plays ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' (1984) and ''Speed-the-Plow'' (1988). He first ...

that had its world premiere in San Francisco's

Magic Theatre The Magic Theatre is a theatre company founded in 1967, presently based at the historic Fort Mason Center on San Francisco's northern waterfront. The Magic Theatre is well known and respected for its singular focus on the development and producti ...

in March 2004, directed by Mamet. It is a contemporary version of the

Faust legend Faust ( , ) is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust (). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a deal with the Devil at a crossroads, e ...

Plot

In this version, Faustus is a married young scientist and philosopher with a child in the 1900s. However, after his latest work is slammed by critics, he makes a demonic deal with a bizarre party entertainer, 'Magus'.

Reception

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

s Dennis Harvey wrote a negative review, criticizing the dialogue, lack of emotion and staging, saying, "Those who suspect Mamet the director is far from Mamet the writer’s best interpreter will find that notion amply supported here. Even allowing for the lumpy prose, which would sap energy under any circumstances, the physical production is remarkably stilted."Harvey, Dennis
"Review"
''Variety'', March 9, 2004

References

External links

''Faustus''
at The David Mamet Society {{Mamet Plays by David Mamet Works based on the Faust legend