Wales Actors' Company present Doctor Faustus, a timeless play about the man who seals a pact with the devil to have his heart's desire - at a price, his soulOn tour throughout Wales in February & March, 2004: Shades of Big Brother haunt a contemporary staging of Christopher Marlowe's extraordinary drama Doctor Faustus, opening at Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon, on February 20th, 2004 (7.30pm) in a brand new production from Wales Actors' Company. Closed circuit television cameras survey the actions of four performers engaged in telling the story of Doctor Faustus, a figure who has become renowned in European mythology for the act of selling his soul in return for earthly power and riches. "When Marlowe originally wrote his play in the 16th century, there was very much this idea that God was somewhere watching you, acting as a kind of cosmological policeman," explains director Paul Garnault. "In today's world, we have lost this moral compass. We have circuit TV cameras instead, a kind of technological, all-seeing God. That's what gave me the idea for the setting. In terms of the drama, what draws you in is Marlowe's interpretation of the insane idea that you can get everything you want without any consequences, whether's it's Helen of Troy (one of Faustus's desires), or marching into Iraq to seize a country and grab its oil. The themes of the Faust legend remain as relevant today as ever." WAC is one of Wales's most popular national touring companies with a high-energy style that draws together strong characterisation, ensemble acting and stripped down sets. The company's annual summer tour to historic castles regularly draw in audiences of over 10,000 people. They have also won critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Doctor Faustus marks an expansion of their repertoire, with WAC aiming to establish a similar demand for a winter tour. In 2004, they take in a variety of locations, from local community centres to a converted fire station in Ross On Wye, to help achieve this aim. "tremendously vibrant, witty and enjoyable" (The Scotsman) Full details of the tour, including tour list and start times, can be found on the company website: www. actors-online.com |
| Wales Actors Company web site: www. actors-online.com |
| Penny Simpson e-mail: |
Tuesday, February 3, 2004 |
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