"Dr. Faustus"

the liveliness and vigour of the cast compensated for the weaknesses in the play and in particular carried it over the hurried and rather flat conclusion, making it a rapid and amusing piece which ran simply and without strain. All the actors had a good "feel" for the nature of the characters they portrayed and it was unfortunate that they had not been able to rehearse a little more, a couple having agreed to take on parts at short notice. C. J. Watson, who had the largest part, set a good example with his apparent self-confidence, and Gray performed well in a difficult female role. There had been great problems concerning the set, which had to be arranged rapidly after a previous House play, and it was surprisingly good in spite of the troubles that had delayed it. Altogether the performance came off very well, holding the attention of the audience firmly, and succeeding well in its primary object, entertainment. J .R .W.

"DR. FAUSTUS"

PRESENTED BY THE MANOR

The House-play reports last year complained of the rut of melodrama / farce which seems ominously near, and of the frivolity which marred some ambitious productions; reference to last May's magazine will show that none of the usual criticisms apply to J. P. Moffatt's "Dr. Faustus". Everything from the programme through to the minor parts was clearly and conscientiously executed. The posters were tasteful and gave an accurate idea of what to expect, the set was simple and effective and the costumes were so appropriate as to blend unobtrusively with the whole. Above all, the acting was at least of School-play quality, and if one or two of the "Seven deadly Sins" were inaudible, it was more the fault of the audience than of the actors. In short, all the flaws usually present in

a House-play were eliminated; one can therefore move on to a higher plane of criticism.

In order to reduce Marlowe's text to a more manageable length, Acts III and IV were omitted. An attempt to cut out lesser units could only have resulted in butchery of the plot and poetry, and so this wholesale removal of largely illustrative scenes seems to have been the best course open. Critics of the employment of girls, in productions which are primarilly supposed to be the effort of one house, have no grounds for complaint here. Giving the part of Helen of Troy to a boy, resulting in the usual ridicule, would have ruined the professional seriousness of the remainder. Perhaps a little wider range of mood and expression in the character of Faustus would have accentuated the dominant supernatural air.

The sense of responsibility and restraint which characterised Manor's effort should not be mistaken for a lack of imagination or enthusiasm. Other producers should take note that this approach resulted in the only really successful presentation, by a House, of a classic here for some years.

D.F.H.

The Manor PRESENTS Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe "Stipendium Mors Peccati Est." CAST

DR. FAUSTUS

Nigel Clayburn

WAGNER VALDES

John Lightowler CORNELIUS Alan Andrews Roger Cooper MEPHISTOPHILIS Peter Dacey LucIFER Helen of Troy -Roger Cooper BELZEEBUB Jonathan Moffatt Linda Billington Good Angel 1st Student 3rd Student Charles Kidd Chris Cork Andrew Rennie Evil Angel 2nd Student Clown Arthur Holmes Alan Smith John Carlile Chorus Richard Elsy Old Man Gregory Gray The Seven Deadly Sins

Adrian Dunn, Andrew Vickers, Richard Tasker, Richard Hodgson, William Elsy, David Schofield, Richard Thornton. Devils, Students &c. Steven Foster, Mike Drucquer, John Williams, Tim Schofield, Ross Fenwick. Producer: Jonathan Moffatt.

Designer 'Stage Manager: Alan Andrews. Lights: Pete Holmes.

Music /Sound: Peter Wood. Assistant to Stage Manager: Adrian Dunn. The Producers wish to thank all those who, though not mentioned in the programme, have generously given their help. Act 1 lasts about an hour: Act 2 about 25 minutes and there will be one 10 minute interval. This production consists of Acts 1, 2 and 5 of the 1604 and 1624 quarto editions of "Dr. Faustus".

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593). A spy, he was murdered at the age of 29, leaving behind him seven plays, "Dr. Faustus", "The Jew of Malta", "Edward II" and "Tamburlaine" among them. The basically true Faust legend inspired Richard Burton and was a big success with Eric Porter in the 1968 RSC Stratford Season.