Politician dances with the devil as new play gets a little Faust-ish

Chris Robinson (left) and Jo Donnelly (right) are acting in Faust-ish

What if you went to sell your soul to the devil only to find out you didn't have one?

A new dark comedy has arrived in Belfast that asks just that, reimagining the classic Faust legend with a distinctly Northern Irish bite.

In the original story of Faust, a scholar makes a deal with the devil in exchange for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasure.

But in Faust-ish, directed by Zoe Seaton at Belfast's Lyric Theatre, the classic tale is filtered through the lens of a politician in the Northern Ireland Assembly who tries the same trick - and finds out what happens when you break bread with the man downstairs.

Mischief mash-up, satire and craic

Robinson plays multiple roles in the play

The play, written by Belfast-born playwright Nicola McCartney, stars Jo Donnelly in the role of Faith Hughes, the assembly member, and Chris Robinson in a variety of roles, including the devil himself.

Speaking to BBC News NI, Seaton explained the thinking behind bringing the legendary tale into 2025 and Northern Ireland, saying it partly has to do with "desensitisation and disconnection".

"What is the way we're living our modern lives doing to us as human beings?" she asked.

"One compromise is that you're engaging on your phone with an atrocity and then you switch to puppies."

The play's director, Zoe Seaton, says theatre 'has a particular role' to play

This whiplash is seen through the politician - but Seaton is keen to say the play is "not about saying Northern Irish politicians don't have souls".

Instead, she puts the focus on what we can really trust in modern times.

"People talk about fake news – we don't really know what's real, what's not. Theatre has a particular role to play because it's live. You can touch it and you can feel it."

Part fable, part farce, the play's creators describe it as a mash-up of mischief, satire and craic.

Faust-ish has been described as 'a mash-up of otherworldly mischief, sharp political satire, and solid craic'

One of the stars, Chris Robinson, said he questioned whether Lucifer was the play's worst character.

"In our story, is he the most evil? I'm not sure," he said, adding that the audience is invited to question whether the politician's choices are more damaging than being the devil.

"It is a good lens to look through because politicians as a whole go into that line of work to help people or to do good or to make a difference.

"And then it's about the small decisions, the small compromises they make that give away a little bit of themselves."

'Every project has to be exciting'

Faust-ish is a different type of project for Seaton, who became known for hosting theatre performances via Zoom during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Another recent project, Granny Jackson's Dead, which blended theatre and immersive technology, was performed in a house on the Malone Road. It went on to be named best production at the Origin 1st Irish Festival 2025.

The play is being staged at the Lyric Theatre until Sunday 9 November

"Every project has to be exciting and for me it has to be as different as possible from the last one," she said. "We had enormous fun with Granny Jackson's Dead, but this is very different."

Next up, after Faust-ish, is an interactive theatre/film installation called Judy's House which explores family dynamics.

But first she has to dance with the devil, in the hope of sparking some interesting conversations about the modern world in those who come see the new play.