It is witty, clever and interesting. Davalos weaves in references to famous lines from Hamlet and Dr Faustus in a way that reminds me of Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. There is a particularly amusing scene in which Faustus plays word association with Hamlet: Frailty is associated with woman, cloud becomes camel, camel - weasel, you get the point. 

Davalos also plays with historical fact and classic literature. The writing of the Ninety-Five Thesis is the result of a challenge Faustus lays down for Luther and Faustus wants to sell his soul to a woman not the devil, for example.

Designer Oliver Townsend has made the most of The Gate's space decking out the stage with old looking wood panelling with little nooks and crannies (and a fold down bed) for stowing Faustus' pills and potions and scrolls of controversial theses. It opens out to the back to make way for a tennis match (@trpw was upset by the fact that it was lawn tennis rather than real tennis which wasn't invented until many centuries after the play is set) and also a church nave.

Sean Campion plays Faustus with the air of a philosophical rock star who has tried it all, liked it and wants to try some more while Andrew Frame plays Luther as a devout man troubled by where his own mind is leading him but also a man with a penchant for a beer or three. You have to believe that these two contrasting characters could be friends and you do.

Sophie Brittain makes her professional stage debut playing various female parts switching from prostitute to the Holy Mother with ease. Edward Franklin's Hamlet was a little nervous and over earnest to begin with but relaxed as the performance progressed - this was the second preview.

Wittenberg was fabulous for its mixture of intelligence and fun and I can't recommend it enough. It's getting 5 stars from me.

Here's the trailer: