When the devil rises from a steaming bathtub in the center of the stage to a thrashing soundtrack and is joined by a group of vampiric club dancers who rhythmically deck him out in leather and hand him a cigar, you know this isn't your father's (or perhaps your great great-grandfather's?) Faust. And in the case of Synetic Theatre's gothtastic, gyrating and graphic production, we're happier for it.

A brief tutorial on the Faust story, in case you're unfamiliar. Boy meets Devil. Devil tempts boy with offers of sex and power; boy signs on the line. Boy corrupts innocent woman, who is driven to desperate measures when his true character is revealed. Whose souls will survive? See the play.

What is most striking about this production is that every detail seems to come in place to complement director Paata Tsikurishvili's vision; the show is extremely well-conceived. There are elements that remind one of a music video or a horror house, but either comparison cheapens the effect. Synetic Theatre's mission is to seamlessly meld dance and drama, and its Faust is no exception to this. There's that charged opening scene. There's the show's execution of Mephistopheles' (Dan Istarate) and Martha's (Anna Lane) coupling, a sexy, gymnastic romp that has them literally entangled to amusing and arousing effect. And there's Faust's metamorphosis into Adonis-like youth, which unfolds in an ER room on acid.

Set and costume design add additional flavor. Faust's study, of sorts, is a particular highlight, as it includes a variety of freaky-looking science accoutrements, among them jars with live heads floating in formaldehyde who are quick to give him a skeptical look when he earns it. God himself appears twice as a spectre bedecked in a silver coat and fedora, his back to the audience and his voice coming through a hand-held boom box. And of course, there's that inexplicable bathtub centerpiece, which becomes, among other things, Faust's and the Devil's main mode of transportation.

The show is so kinetic, visually-assaulting and driven by the efforts of a first-rate ensemble that individual performances can almost be overshadowed. Istrate's devil has an unexpected touch of loopy mischievousness, and the actor's facile command over movement brings him a particular intensity. Anna Lane is a delight as the frustrated, lascivious Martha. Irina Tsikurishvili brings an ethereal quality to the table as the naive Gretchen, particularly in her balletic solo moments. Greg Marzullo's Faust is at first a bit of a puzzle, but comes around to show complexity and convincing regret.

Faust isn't perfect. There are some pacing problems, as some dance numbers drag on too long, and some plot developments (the introduction and exit of Gretchen's brother, for example) move too quickly to be particularly intelligible. Some visuals prove more confounding than compelling - the use of a red scarf to represent an illegitimate child, for one. The show also isn't for the weak of stomache or disposition - the orgiastic finale of sorts, featuring simulated sex and blood-streaked shower curtains, among other things, is undoubtedly gruesome, but inarguably effective. Keep this in mind, hop onto that bathtub, and let Faust take you on its manic ride.

Faust runs through May 21 at Synetic Theatre, after which it makes its way to the Kennedy Center June 1-18. Tickets are available on the Synetic website.