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Doctor Faustus - Professional Productions

1934 - Birmingham Rep

directed by H. M. Prentice at the Malvern; production run 24 March - 13 August 1934 

1940 - rudolf steiner hall

opened 12 March 1940

See: The Times, 13 March 1940

1944 - the old vic company

directed by John Moody at the Playhouse Theatre,  Liverpool; opened 16 May 1944

1946/7 - shakespeare memorial theatre

directed by Walter Hudd at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

press night 12 July 1946 and 9 April 1947

Reviewed in: The Times, 15 July 1946, The Times, 11 April 1947, The Stage, 18 July 1946

1948 - the old vic company

directed by John Burrell at the New Theatre, London, 7 October 1948

Reviewed in: The Stage, 10 October 1948 and Audrey Williamson, Old Vic Drama (London : Rockliff, 1948), 16-7

1950 - the compass players

directed by John Crockett, on tour, 1950

1961 - the old vic company

directed by Michael Benthall

opened at the Edinburgh Festival, 21 August 1961; for a list of reviews click here

1962 - Dr Faustus - studio production

directed by Clifford Williams

one performance on 7 December 1962 at the Conference Hall, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon 

1964 - Farnham Repertory Company

1965  - The Close Theatre

directed and adapted by Charles Marowitz at The Close Theatre, Glasgow; opened 2 December 1965

Reviewed in: The Times, 15 December 1965 and Vesna Pistotnik, Marlowe in Performance: Professional Productions on the British Stage, 1960-1982  (unpublished PhD thesis, University of Birmingham, 1983), 239-45

1966 - *the Nottingham Playhouse

directed by Andre van Gyseghem at the Nottingham Playhouse; opened 25 May 1966

Reviewed by: Eric Shorter, The Daily Telegraph, 26 May 1966, Ronald Parr, Plays and Players, July 1966, 50 and Vesna Pistotnik, Marlowe in Performance: Professional Productions on the British Stage, 1960-1982 (unpublished PhD thesis, University of Birmingham, 1983), 252-62

1968 - The Royal Shakespeare Company

directed by Clifford Williams at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

opened 27 June 1968; on tour 14 January-10 May 1969;

For photographs and reviews click here

1969 - *Newcastle Playhouse

directed by Ann Stutfield at the Newcastle Playhouse; opened 28 October 1969

See: Vesna Pistotnik, Marlowe in Performance: Professional Productions on the British Stage, 1960-1982

        (unpublished PhD thesis, University of Birmingham, 1983), 271-4

1970 - The Royal Shakespeare Company

directed by Gareth Morgan

The production opened at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on 10 March 1970 and it was part of the Theatregoround Tour; it had its first performance in Stratford-upon-Avon on 29 April 1970; the tour ended with a last performance on 8 December 1970, Stratford-upon-Avon.

For photographs and reviews click here 

1974 - The Royal Shakespeare Company

directed by John Barton

opened 12 August 1974 at the Nottingham Playhouse; played a season at the Aldwych Theatre, London (opened 5 September) as part of the tour; continued provincial tour partly recast; ended tour at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 18-22 February 1975

Production creditsphoto gallery with Ian McKellen as Faustus and his RSC debut from www.mckellen.com .

For production reviews, photographs from rehearsals and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre run click here

1975/7 - barry smith's theatre of puppets

original opening 22 December 1975 

directed by Alan Judd at the Young Vic, 19 September-1 October 1977; reviewed in

1976 - Perth repertory Theatre

directed by Andrew McKinnon; 10-27 November 1976 

Reviewed by: Cordelia Oliver, Plays and Players, January 1977, 34 and Morven Blair, RORD, 20 (1977), 68

1977 - york theatre royal company

directed by Alan Drury at the York Arts Centre; 22-26 November 1977

Reviewed by: Jenny Nash, RORD, 20 (1977), 69-70

1977 - chestergateway theatre company

directed by David Thacker at the Chester Arts Centre; 28 November-10 December 1977

1978 - Faustus' Last Supper

produced by Antony Tuckey at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, 1-18 March 1978; at the WosleyTheatre, Ipswich, 16 February-15 March 1982; reviewed in

1978 - the sherman arena company

directed by Duncan Miller and Frances Brookes at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, November 1978

1978 - nuffield theatre

directed by Sue Wilson at the Nuffield Theatre, Southampton, 18-28 February 1978 

Reviewed by: Vesna Pistotnik, Marlowe in Performance: Professional Productions on the British Stage, 1960-1982 (unpublished PhD thesis, University of Birmingham, 1983), 302-5

1979 - connaught theatre

directed by Nicholas Young at the Connaught Theatre, Worthing, 31 October-17 November 1979

Reviewed by: Eric Joyce, The Stage, 29 November 1979 and Vesna Pistotnik, Marlowe in Performance: Professional Productions on the British Stage, 1960-1982 (unpublished PhD thesis, University of Birmingham, 1983), 313-4

1980 - lyric studio hammersmith

directed by Christopher Fettes at the Lyric Studio, Hammersmith; opened 25 February 1980

For production reviews click here

1981 - the royal exchange manchester

directed by Adrian Noble at the Royal Exchange, Manchester, 17 September-24 October 1981

For production reviews click here

1982 - the swan theatre worcester

directedby Ian Granville Bell, 1-7 April 1982; reviewed in

1983 - the nottingham playhouse company and the york theatre royal company

directed by Michael Winter and Jeremy Howe at York in April and at Nottingham in May 1983

Reviewed in: The Stage, 16 June 1983 and RORD, 26 (1983), 83

1984 - nervous theatre

adapted and directed by Andy Johnson at the Bridge House, London, 15 October-3 November 1984

1984 - royal lyceum theatre edinburgh

directed by Ian Wooldridge, 11 July-11 August 1984

1984 - wooden o company

a thirty-minute street theatre version performed at the Edinburgh Festival; 8-31 August 1985

1986 - park bench theatre company

performed at the Cambridge Festival Fringe, summer 1986

1989 - the Royal Shakespeare Company

directed by Barry Kyle at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

opened 10 May 1989 at the Swan; transferred to the Pit, London, 24 November 1989

For photographs and reviews click here

1993 - * Nottingham Playhouse

directed by Phelim McDermott at the Nottingham Playhouse; 6-21 November 1992

1993 - * Greenwich Theatre

directed by Philip Franks at the Greenwich Theatre; 11 November - 11 December 1993

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1994 - Nuffield Theatre - Resident Company

directed by Patrick Sandford at the Nuffield Theatre, Southampton; 14 April - 7 May 1994

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1994 - Kaos Theatre Company

directed by Xavier Leret at Bridewell, London; 26 July - 6 August 1994

1996 - Compass Theatre Company

directed by Neil Sissons at the Compass Theatre, Sheffield - 'an ensemble approach to playing, music, and imaginative use of voice and a physical approach to acting' (Programme); touring spring 1996

1997 - The other place

directed by Jonathan Best

opened 21 July 1997; five performances part of "On the Edge" (21, 24 July ans 1, 4, 11 August 1997)

1997 - Brute Farce TC

Dr Fautus - 1997   © Brute Farce TC 

directed by Philip Graham and Rob Crouch; performed in June at the North Pole Pub, Greenwich and between 8-17 August at the Etcetera Theatre, Camden, London;

1997 - Wycombe Theatre Company

directed by Andrew Potter at the Wycombe Swan Town Hall Theatre; 9-18 October 1997

'an evening in the company of the brilliant Doctor Faustus, whose pact with the Devil begins a chilling journey into the darkside of human nature. But be warned, if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.' (Production publicity material)

1998 - Galleon Theatre Company

directed by Simon Bell at The Prince Theatre, Prince of Orange, Greenwich; 13 January - 1 February 1998

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2002 - Shifting Sands TC

at Hoxton Hall, London; February 2002

2002 - Natural Nylon TC

directed by David Lan at the Young Vic, London; March 2002

Production images from www.arenapal.com

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2004 - National Theatre Education, London and Theatre Royal, Plymouth production

The Wonderful Life and Miserable Death of the Renowned Magician Dr Faustus

directed by Rebecca Gould at the Drum Theatre Plymouth - 4-7 February; the Cottesloe Theatre, London - 10-25 February; and Albany Stage, Deptford 14-17 February 2004 

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2004 - Wales Actors Company

touring production directed by Paul Garnault; February - March 2004; reviewed in: Western Mail 5 March 2004 and The Stage 25 March 2004

2004 - *Barons Court Theatre

musical adaptation directed by Marchus Eyre at the Barons Court Theatre, London; 10 August - 5 September 2004

2004 - Chirchester Festival Theatre in association with Chirchester Cathedral

directed by Martin Duncan, Edward Kemp, Stephen Pimlott and Dale Rooks at Minerva Theatre, Chirchester; 8-25 September 2004

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2004 - *Theatre Royal

Faustus - selected scenes from Marlowe's Dr Faustus set against a plot about the British artists, the Chapman Brothers

directed by Rupert Goold and adapted by Ben Power at the Theatre Royal, Northampton; 30 October - 20 November 2004; reviewed in

2005 - *Everyman and Playhouse, Liverpool

directed by Philip Wilson at the Playhouse, Liverpool; 4-26 February 2005

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2005 - *Etcetera Theatre, London

directed by Chris Jamba; 14-26 June 2005

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2005 - Dr Foster: Flipside Productions

musical written and directed by Adrian Schiller and performed at the Menier Theatre, London; 20 October - 5 November 2005

2006 - Third Party Productions

directed by John Wright; touring: Roses - Tewksbury 20 September, Arts Centre - Stamford 10-11 October, Courtyard - Hereford 16 october, Theatre Royal - Margate 25 October 2006

More about this production from Third Party Productions

2006 - Headlong Theatre (formerly The Oxford Stage Company)

directed by Rupert Goold and adapted by Rupert Goold and Ben Power, at the Hampstead Theatre; production run 16 October - 18 November 2006

See production flyer and review headlights

Scott Handy as Faustus ©  Headlong Theatre     Scott Handy as Faustus and and Jake Maskell as Mephistopheles ©  Headlong Theatre     Jake Maskell as Mephistopheles © Headlong Theatre

           Faustus - 2006 © Headlong Theatre