SYNOPSIS: Faust holds doctorates in Mathematics, Physics, Philosophy and Computer Engineering, but what's more impressive is that he’s also a good guy who wants to use his genius to make the world a better place. Unfortunately, his boundless intellect also means he craves infinite knowledge and the power it would provide. Mephisto, the devil’s helper, senses his weakness and offers to help Faust satisfy his desires. All it will cost him is his soul.... It only takes a few clicks to set Faust on a quest to find the fabled Marianas Web, a layer of the internet where all the most powerful answers are hidden. Along the way, he meets his desires: Greed, Lust, Envy, Wrath and Pride. They say they want to help him, but are they really just blinding him? Gretchen, Faust’s conscience, thinks so and tries to help him see through their mind games before it’s too late to turn back.

PLAY ORIGINS: Faust is based on a German legend that has been the inspiration for many dramatic and literary works over the centuries. In traditional versions, an accomplished scholar desires answers that only God or the Devil can provide. Over time, “to strike a Faustian bargain” has come to mean the willing sacrifice of one’s morals and/ or ideals in order to satisfy a desire. The internet has made it easier for all of us to explore our desires, both good and bad. During the devising process we considered the question "Has the world made a Faustian Bargain with the internet that we can’t turn back on or can it be used to shape a better world?"

Marsha Hillman, Director

PERFORMANCE: The cast previewed the play on Feb 27th at 5pm in the ISM Fine Arts Theatre. They then performed at IASAS ADDT in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, March 3rd at 7:45pm.