In a magnificent one-woman theater production featuring hand puppets and pop music, Bridge Markland brings “Faust” to life.
Scientist Faust is searching for ultimate knowledge and fun in life. Then someone shows up who can grant any wish: Mephisto! The catch? Faust has to sell him his soul. And the wish-granting only works because Mephisto manipulates people in extreme ways—using drugs and magic if necessary.
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In this fast-paced one-woman-plus-puppets fully lip-synced show, Bridge Markland constantly switches between Mephisto, Faust, and Gretchen. She plays additional characters using hand puppets. Goethe’s texts are enhanced with pop music references. Roy Orbison sings “Pretty Woman” when Faust sees Gretchen for the first time. Elvis gets the inexperienced Gretchen all fired up with “Falling in Love.” Even the doctors’ warnings don’t help: “Men are pigs—don’t trust them.”
This love story doesn’t have a happy ending for Bridge Markland either, but it’s a lot of fun. She not only conjures up a refreshing take on Faust, but also offers a fresh perspective on the history of pop music.
In a brilliant soundtrack, the famous lines from Germany’s most famous play meet AC/DC, Die Ärzte, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Tim Fischer, Joy Division, Evelyn Künneke, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Madonna, Peter Maffay, Monty Python, Kylie Minogue, Roy Orbison, Pink, Placebo, Elvis Presley, Marika Rökk, The Rolling Stones, Seeed, Freddy Quinn, Grethe Weiser, Robbie Williams, and many other musicians.
This production of “Faust” delights audiences aged 12 to 98
Voice actors: Thomas Nicolai (Mephisto), Ingo Volkmer (Faust), Heike Ulbrich (Gretchen), Viktor Pavel (God), Berit Bartuschka (Witch/The Old Woman), Claudia Jakobshagen (Mrs. Marthe), Olaf Grolmes (Ghost), Nadine Fratini (Lieschen), Dorice Arsenopoulou (The Beauty)
Directed by: Bridge Markland + Heike Gäßler
Text and Sound Collage: Bridge Markland
Sound Design: Claus Buehler (Original 2006) Tom Hornig (Revised Version 2016)
Additional information
"... It is striking how quickly and dynamically the abridged text penned by Goethe—under Markland’s masterful direction—is supplemented, commented upon, and accompanied by the recorded songs. ...
Markland’s skills as an arranger, actress, and astute commentator ... present Goethe’s work in a novel way—something for which, after so many years of intensive engagement in the theater world, one can only be grateful.”
Juan Carlos Betz, Süddeutsche Zeitung (courtesy of the publisher)
Markland’s skills as an arranger, actress, and astute commentator ... present Goethe’s work in a novel way—something for which, after so many years of intensive engagement in the theater world, one can only be grateful.”
Juan Carlos Betz, Süddeutsche Zeitung (courtesy of the publisher)
Dates
August 2026
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