Doctor Faustus

Faustus’s restless quest for knowledge and his insatiable desire for notoriety drive him to make a pact with the devil in return for the power to perform the black arts. The life-changing decision propels him into a heady, celebrity-obsessed world, as magician and illusionist to the rich and famous. Quenching sexual desires as his power grows, he must question whether the price was worth paying.

This new adaptation combines Marlowe’s original acts with a re-imagining by Colin Teevan. Firmly placing this classic story within a present context, the universal truths held in the 400-year-old cautionary tale resonate powerfully with the greed of today’s consumer-led society.

Christopher Marlowe was an English dramatist, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era and the foremost Elizabethan tragedian of his day. He greatly influenced William Shakespeare, who was born the same year as Marlowe and who rose to fame after Marlowe’s mysterious early death. Marlowe’s plays are known for their use of blank verse, and for their overreaching protagonists.

Colin Teevan is a celebrated playwright, translator and screenwriter. His work has been produced by many leading theatres including the National, the Young Vic, the Soho Theatre and the National Theatre of Scotland.