Faustus at the Garrison
ONE of the most famous pieces of Elizabethan drama takes to the stage at the Garrison Theatre next week when Shetland Youth Theatre performs Christopher Marlowe’s Dr Faustus.
The play charts the rise and fall of the fictional German intellectual John Faustus, who sells his soul to the devil in return for a lifetime of total knowledge and pleasure.
The youth theatre company, run by Shetland Arts, has a national reputation for innovative quality theatre and last year performed on the main stage at the National Theatre in London. As with many of its projects, this production features an intense physicality and the 28 young participants have been working full time over the school holiday to prepare for the show.
Like all Elizabethan drama the production features scenes of high tragedy as well as elements of raw comedy and features the quality verse one would expect from a writer who, during his short life, was considered to be on a par with Shakespeare.
Directed by John Haswell, with music by Philip Taylor and designed by David Wagstaff, the production has also benefited from the physical expertise of former member Jordanna O’Neill who is now training in physical theatre in London.
Dr Faustus is being performed from Thursday to Saturday (21st-23st August) next week. The performance starts at 7.30pm each night and tickets (£6 and £4 concessions) are available from Islesburgh on (1595) 692114.
