With a nod to golden-age artists from Fred Astaire to Charlie Chaplin, French choreographer Philippe Decouflé has brought a musical extravaganza to London inspired by the soul-selling diabolical story of Faust.

Best known for his work with Cirque du Soleil and for staging the ceremonies at the Albertville Olympics of 1992, Decouflé's vibrant and eclectic style is reflected in his latest show Contact.

"It's a very free adaptation of Faust but it's also a variation on musical comedy - a homage to a genre that is fun in the noble sense of the word," the indefatigable 53-year-old told AFP.

"It's a show I love and which has been very complicated to stage. I put a lot into it. It appeals to all my senses and it has taken a long time," he said, explaining the two years of preparations.

Contact premiered in Paris in January and has already traveled to Belgium and Germany.

A tour stop in Japan is planned for next year.

The bewildering mix of styles in this rock opera ballet is heavily inspired by the late German dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch's famous Kontakthof, which also gave Decouflé the idea for the name.

There are elements of the musical West Side Story and Michael Jackson's Thriller alongside tributes to classic Hollywood musical comedy.

The Faust myth tells the story of a frustrated man who enters a pact with the devil to fulfil his desires.