Poor Shadows of Elysium

So, this is a thing that exists now. More to come, soon.

Doctor Faustus: Challenges, Part I

The story of Doctor Faustus did not originate with Christopher Marlowe, but Marlowe’s version of the story was enormously successful in its time. The story has been retold and adapted hundreds of times in the intervening centuries. I think it’s difficult to overstate the significance of this play.

The play is not without its problems, though. It can be said the The Tragicall History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus occupies a pivotal place in the development of English theatre. In some ways, the play is a bridge between medieval and modern drama, and between the morality play and the modern tragedy. In fact, at least one critic has called Doctor Faustus the first tragedy written in English.

Early Modern English theatre is a passion of mine. And while it’s important to me to respect the work, our actors will not be playing to an early modern audience. They will be playing to an audience that has very different expectations. I’ve decided to adapt the text somewhat to try to minimize some of the problems that I anticipate. I certainly wouldn’t say that anything I’m doing is an original idea – I’m sure most, if not all of these things have been done before – but I will say that I arrived at them independently. And I’m going to try to talk about them without spoilers. We’ll see how well I do.

Modern audiences are accustomed to a higher degree of realism in entertainment. We have more difficulty accepting storylines involving twins played by actors who don’t look alike, or storylines involving cross-dressing. One common device in early modern theatre was doubling of roles. Audiences would likely key off of certain costume pieces, and merely accept the fact that the actor who just walked offstage as one character walked right back on as someone totally different. Doctor Faustus is a very episodic play. Several characters appear in only one or two scenes and are never seen again. It would require an enormous cast to stage the play with a different actor in every role. Doubling is a must. I think I’ve found a way to make the doubling clear to people who are unfamiliar with the concept.

Another issue with Doctor Faustus is Marlowe’s tendency to give his actors very long speeches. Faustus has several very long speeches in which he debates his choices with himself. I’m dividing some of these speeches up between different actors. I think it’s going to work very well, it will add more action and tension to the speeches, and there will be more movement. Overall, I think it’ll be more interesting to watch without losing much, if anything.

Now, now, work serious thoughts on baneful plots

'Tis Pity has been a hell of a ride. I was very worried at one point, because Giovanni operates at a very high emotional state throughout this play. The stakes are enormous for him. I was really concerned that, because of that, I'd deliver a performance that lacked variety. But, by the time we opened, I realized there were several scenes that showed another side of him. The morning after scene, the "view well her face" speech, and "busy opinion is an idle fool" all allow opportunities to show a calmer, tender side. Nevertheless, it's a very demanding role.

The process of working on this show has been fantastic. I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity. The cast and crew are top notch. I'm honored to be part of this show, and I only hope I can live up to the work they're doing.

This weekend, I got my acceptance to grad school, where I'll be studying Theatre History and Dramatic Criticism. And Doctor Faustus and Coriolanus are on the horizon. Finally, I'm hoping to get my own theatre company up and running early next year. More on that later, after the venue is locked up.

It's been an amazing theatre year for me.