" The Tragicall History of Dr Faustus - A Damned Fine Play "
All in the words of Christopher Marlowe [although not necessarily in the right order]
Directed by John Wright and designed by Philip Marshall.
As with much of our previous work, it is based on a classic play - Marlowe's Faust. The initial conceit entertains the notion that since Lucifer, Mephistopholis and Faustus - unknowingly - are condemned forever to tell and re-tell the story of Faustus. This is the impetus of the play: “This is Hell, nor am I out of it.”
Often when directors overlay a weighty conceit on the classics in order to engender some spurious relevance or topical freshness, what happens is that the joins where the play doesn't fit the conceit show badly; either that or the concept takes time out while we plonk through some verse in order to keep the plot up to scratch.
In our recent work, the characters employ their own demotic and play through any potential scene splitting hiatus. For us the text is not sacrosanct and as much of the performance is devised on the rehearsal room floor as given by the text.
The Faustus story, already old and in various forms before Marlowe got his hands on it, brings with it a long tradition of storytelling and use of puppets which we tap into with this highly entertaining version of the play. Fast moving, full of surprises, shot through with effective plot moving popular forms: Dance & song, live music; even a touch of ventriloquism as Faustus is mocked by his own image parodying his speech to Helen of Troy while a blues singing Lucifer riffs on the soul of a man.
We don't ignore nor step aside from Marlowe's structure and language and although the play is cut, our devised scenes move through the full arc of Faustus' story; there is some of the most popular dramatic verse ever written in this play and we've found some splendid comedy to go with it.
The performance runs for 80 minutes and grounded in our ten years experience of maximising design adaptability for both theatre and non theatre-specific sites, it will sit well in theatres and studios alike. In addition, it offers high production values for Village Hall touring.
It's been tried out in various venues, theatres, arts centres, educational and community venues and feedback has been universally good:
“There is enough dynamism, intelligence and unbridled glee onstage to ensure any audience a night of deliciously dangerous, testing theatre”
TIME OUT
“The show was, as was Richard III - To Hell on a Handcart, what rural touring should be! Well made, directed, performed, and creatively produced with real quirky surprises which thrill and engage but are reverent to the script. An extremely entertaining piece of work that pushes boundaries with style and convention in the treatment of classical material without alienating." Claire Smith, Cheshire Arts Service.
Third Party Productions Ltd. is a UK and International touring theatre company currently based in Hastings and beginning its twelfth year of performances in theatres, arts centres, village halls, outdoor spaces and festivals; producing thirteen times and giving over 750 performances.
Our aim is to produce fast-paced, visually and physically expressive theatrical events which, with a balance between the dynamic of the story, the skills of the actors and the imagination of the audience, celebrates the subtleties of the text as much in the action as in the language. Most of our work is based on classic plays which are deconstructed and re-imagined during the rehearsal process, indulged in their humour, given a new image system and a contemporary and experimental vitality.
JOHN WRIGHT is an award winning director of theatre he is a co-founder and an Artistic Director of TOLD BY AN IDIOT. In 1980, he co-founded TRESTLE THEATRE COMPANY, where he co directed most of their repertoire until 1992.
This is John”s fourth collaboration with THIRD PARTY, having directed Hamlet, The Changeling and Richard III - To Hell on a Handcart.
John has received the Greater London Arts Award for his contribution to Physical theatre. A Fringe First Award for 'Aesop,' The Time Out Theatre Award for 'The edge', The Guardian Award and the Sunday Times Award for 'She'll be coming round the mountain' and best new work award at Hong Kong international arts festival for Shooting Sons for Ensemble Theatre Company.
