REVIEW: The Faustus Project, Half Trick Theatre, EdFringe 2026, ★★★★

I’ve seen The Faustus Project pop up on my feed so many times by now, from post-show selfies shared by various guest stars covered in gunk and grinning, that I am buzzing with anticipation before the show even begins.

There’s a man at on stage clutching a red notebook and looking so lost he can only be the unsuspecting victim Half Trick have invited to be their doomed Doctor Faustus for tonight’s show. Sean Waring knows as little as I do about what’s to come – and it is this highly theatrical premise which makes The Faustus Project so enticing.

An ensemble of actors descend on Sean; I want to say they cartwheel, because it is the only verb that does justice to the impish physicality that Alex Medlin, Moira Hamilton and Courtney Basset bring to their roles as our angelic facilitators and demonic guides. 

I usually hate watching entertainment that garners shock or laughter by forcing people to do disgusting things – I do not want to watch someone’s dad gagging on a camel testicle, thank you. And yet, when the I’m A Celeb Get Me Out of Here style challenges begin, I simply can’t look away. 

Because these aren’t silly frat boy dares, these are carefully chosen games that make Sean Waring grapple with big questions – like the value he places on non-human life (none at all it would seem) and make fucking difficult decisions on the spot  – like answering which one of the two women stood in front of him would he rather fuck. Groans and laughs from the audience – what an impossible situation to be in: but he must answer. A chalkboard tally is revealed, moving us instantly from bathos to pathos – how is it possible to pack so many feelings into one show?!  It is impossible not to feel for our Faustus as we watch him gamely play along with the cast, which is the cleverness of this remake: I’m sat here wondering what I would do in Faustus’ shoes. What would come easy, what would be my hard nos? If this is what hell is like, forget Heaven, I want in to the mayhem.

Much to my so-called “shame”, as an English Literature grad, I have never read or watched any of Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus nor even thought about tackling Goethe’s Faust. The great news is, you don’t need to know a think about the original to enjoy this off the walls re-staging. Sean Waring is tasked with delivering Marlowe’s iconic lines by cold reading them straight out of the red notebook. This results in some hilarious mistakes ‘I am radished’!  Declares our Faustus,  instead of ‘I am ravished’, as Marlowe intended it. 

That’s the beauty of The Faustus Project – the hilarity is in the random mistakes, the things that can’t be controlled or planned or scripted. This is exactly what live theatre should be – completely different every night and completely alive. Half Trick describe The Faustus Project as “an actor’s worst nightmare”, which is the only thing they’ve got wrong. This is an actor’s dream! To get a shot at playing the title role, to deliver Marlowe’s most iconic lines alongside an unhinged ensemble, without having had to do minute of rehearsals, and get drunk whilst doing it. How do I sign up?

Shout out to Caden Scott’s Mephistopheles (and whoever designed that costume) for one of the sexiest punk demons I’ve ever seen – sold your soul to the devil? Zero fucks given. 

What makes The Faustus Project a tragedy is that I’ve already watched it – which makes me exempt from any chance of being their guest Faustus, who has to come in completely blind. Which is for the best, as I definitely would have thrown up by now. God knows how they manage to clean all of this up in the stingy Fringe change over time. I’m very glad I’m not the floor. 

This is the kind of show you want to watch again and again and bring all of your friends along with you– a perfect Fringe show deserving of a full house. Half Trick are a truly talented bunch who know exactly how to make live theatre – don’t let them escape Scotland!  

Recommended Drink: A hellishly spicy margarita – with an added shot of soy sauce. 

Performances of The Faustus Project have now concluded at EdFringe 2026.