Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 1 of 34

Mephisto [A Rhapsody]

Audio Description

Introduction

Welcome to this audio

introduction to Mephisto [A

Rhapsody] at the Gate

Theatre, by Samuel Gallet,

translated from the French

by Chris Campbell.

Directed by Kirsty Housley,

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 2 of 34

it is adapted from the

fiercely political cult novel

by Klaus Mann, Mephisto

[Rhapsodie]. The novel is

based on the real-life story

of Gustaf Gründgens whose

dreams of fame led him to

betray everything, and at

the peak of his career,

perform Faust for Hitler.

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 3 of 34

Please note that this

production contains

depictions of suicide and

violence, swearing,

references to fascism,

racism, Islamophobia and

drugtaking. It also contains

flashing lights, haze, loud

noises and cigarette smoke.

The production lasts for 2

hours and 20 minutes with

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 4 of 34

an interval of 10 minutes.

Please check with the Box

Office for the time of the

touch tour. This

introduction has been

written by Ruth James.

In the town of Balbek, the

far right are about to seize

power. At the local theatre

Aymeric dreams of

celebrity; Luca longs for a

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 5 of 34

liberal revolution; Michael is

seduced by the extremists;

Juliette Demba is in fear for

her life. As this political

earthquake convulses

society, Aymeric must make

his choice: resist the forces

of hatred or harness them

for his own success.

As is usual at the Gate, the

theatre is in a different

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 6 of 34

configuration. The entrance

for this show is through the

small door at the top of

seven steps, leading up

from the foyer. We emerge

onto a red-carpeted

platform at one end of the

theatre, which has a small

props table to the right and

a clothes rack in front, at

the end of the platform. To

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 7 of 34

the left are seven steps

down into the acting and

audience area, the first one

very shallow, all covered by

the same red carpet. There

is a handrail on the right of

the steps.

The theatre is set out as a

long, open room, 15 metres

by 6 metres, with three

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 8 of 34

banked rows of black velvet

benches for the audience

on your right as you

descend the steps, crossing

the acting space to reach

them.

From the seats, the long

wall opposite us behind the

acting space, is covered

with a reflective, metallic

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 9 of 34

golden surface, as is the

wall behind the seating. To

create different locations,

purple velvet curtains can

be drawn across, which

hang on the far sides as we

enter. Lighting and sound

are also used to

differentiate between

locations, with bright neon

strips along the top of the

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 10 of 34

wall and at intervals across

the ceiling, which glow

different colours to

transform the space into

separate rooms, a nightclub

or a party. Sometimes an

actor is held in a spotlight,

while the rest of the space

is plunged into darkness.

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 11 of 34

In the centre of the long wall

is an opening, obscured by

a long fringe of glittering

gold metal strips, used as

an exit. Above is a black

panel, on which are

projected indications of the

location, such as ‘Balbek’,

‘To the Sea’ or ‘Capital’.

There is another exit at the

far right of the back wall,

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 12 of 34

and the actors also use the

steps up to the platform.

Using the clothes or props

stored on the platform, they

transform into other

characters and sometimes

change there, while the

action continues elsewhere.

To the right is a wooden

wall, with a mirrored sign

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 13 of 34

reading ÁPPLAUSE’ above

a wooden Stage Manager’s

desk. Also above the desk

is a row of birdies, small

stage lights, and to its left is

a tall stand holding several

larger stage lights. The

Stage Manager, Devika

Ramcharan, sits behind the

desk, operating the show

from a computer, with her

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 14 of 34

script, or Book, before her

and a monitor screen to her

left. There is also a

microphone and a small red

anglepoise lamp. Dev is a

brown woman, with purple

hair cut in a short bob, with

a headset and microphone.

The Props Stage Manager,

Nina Harding, is a white

woman, her long curly

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 15 of 34

brown hair tied up in a

ponytail. Both are dressed

in black and move efficiently

around the space, as, with

the cast, they clear chairs

and move props.

As we arrive, there are six

metal-framed chairs spaced

across the red-carpeted

floor, the frames painted red

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 16 of 34

and the seats and backs a

yellow plastic. Under the

chairs are set various

props, such as a large blue

plastic bag, beer bottles and

suitcases. Various cast

members walk through,

chatting, reading their

scripts or drinking from the

beer bottles. The two Stage

Managers also walk

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 17 of 34

through, making last minute

checks.

In one of the chairs sits a

figure later identified as

Klaus Mann, writer of the

novel Mephisto

[Rhapsodie], dressed in

grey trousers, held up with

striped grey braces, over a

white shirt and blue-spotted

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 18 of 34

beige tie, feet shod in light

brown brogues. Before the

show starts, Klaus

disappears and the same

actor reappears as

Barbara, a young white

woman with long chestnut

hair, some knotted at the

back with a black ribbon

away from her full fringe.

Barbara arrives in a beige

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 19 of 34

trenchcoat, carrying a large

brown suitcase, previously

stored under her seat. Her

short jeans are a light blue

and she has a white blouse

with a pattern of tiny black

dots.

Fabian Muller is a local

MP, a distinguished white

man in his 50’s, clad in a

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 20 of 34

dark blue suit, with a

matching tie, with a small

pin of the French flag in his

lapel. His greying hair is cut

short and he has a neat,

greying moustache. His

forehead is wrinkled into

worry lines. The same

actor also plays Théo

Marber, in a dark brown

tweedy jacket and black

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 21 of 34

polo neck, with a more

effete air.

Aymeric Dupré is an

intense, intellectual man in

his early 30’s, with a high

forehead, curly dark blonde

hair and piercing blue eyes.

He wears white converse

sneakers, dark-blue chinos

and a white t-shirt under a

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 22 of 34

long denim shirt, itself under

a denim jacket. Aymeric

also has horn-rimmed round

glasses, a small beard

under his chin and a hipster

moustache, the ends of

which he twiddles into

points.

Nicole is a slender young

woman, dressed at first in

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 23 of 34

skin-tight, shiny black

leggings and heavy leather

boots, with a black, polo-

necked top under a shiny,

metallic long shirt. Her long

black hair cascades over

her shoulders and she has

huge dark eyes.

Juliette Demba is a tall

black woman, her neat,

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 24 of 34

curled hair at first hidden in

a black turban. She first

appears in a long, glowing

sequined evening gown

with a low back and

spaghetti straps, with huge

gold hoop earrings. On her

feet are chunky-heeled

black boots. Juliette later

changes into an elegant

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 25 of 34

dark green halterneck

jumpsuit with a white jacket.

Eva runs the theatre

company and is slightly

older than her actors. She

is a white woman, neatly

dressed, with her long

blonde hair scraped back

into a tight bun. She wears

a brown 40s-style dress

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 26 of 34

with a collared neckline

over flat brown leather

knee-high boots. Eva is

made-up in an understated

way and wears round

glasses with no frames and

small gold earrings. She

has an air of having seen it

all but retains her idealism.

The same actress also

plays Barbara’s mother,

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 27 of 34

Anna Bauer, who is far

more flamboyant, with red

lips, her blonde hair flowing

over her shoulders. Anna

wears flowing silk wraps of

bright colours, worn over

elegant beige palazzo

trousers.

Luca is fresh-faced, with

delicate features, and wears

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 28 of 34

tight black skinny jeans and

a maroon and blue striped

shirt over a white and blue

striped top, that she’s

knotted at the side to show

her midriff. Luca’s mass of

long black hair is tangled,

some of it swept up into a

knot at the back of her

head. She wears crocodile

patterned DMs and often

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 29 of 34

carries a black notebook for

her writings.

Michael is a stocky, broad-

shouldered pale young

man, with short black hair.

He wears a long 70’s black

leather jacket over black

jeans and t-shirt. Michael is

very intense and committed

to his beliefs.

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 30 of 34

At times, the actors speak

to us directly, using a hand-

held microphone, while the

others watch and listen to

them. At others, they swing

into more traditional scenes,

or involve us directly in the

action. Along with the

Stage Managers, the cast

move the chairs and props,

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 31 of 34

sometimes while the action

continues around them.

Cast and Creatives

Cast

Nicole is played by Subika Anwar-Khan

Aymeric Dupré by Leo Bill

Luca by Elizabeth Chan

Eva and Anna Bauer are both played by Tamzin Griffin

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 32 of 34

Barbara by Rebecca Humphries

Théo Marber and Fabien Muller are both played by Sean Jackson

Juliette Demba is played by Anna-Maria Nabirye

Michael by Rhys Rusbatch

The Stage Manager on the Book is Devika Ramcharan

The Stage Manager on Props is Nina Harding

Creative Team

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 33 of 34

The Fight Director is Lisa Connell

The Sound Designers are Mike Winship and Helen Skiera

The Lighting Designer is Jessica Hung Han Yun

The Designer is Basia Bińkowska

The Director is Kirsty Housley

If you would like any more

information about your visit

to the Gate Theatre, please

Mephisto [A Rhapsody] - Gate Theatre –3rd

October – 26th October 2019 Page 34 of 34

email

gate@gatetheatre.co.uk or

call the Box Office on

Monday to Friday, 10am to

6pm on 020 7229 0706.

Their website is

www.gatetheatre.co.uk.