Arthur Darvill: from Doctor Who to Doctor Faustus

Arthur Darvill, who is best known for his role as the Doctor’s current companion Rory in BBC’s Doctor Who, will play Mephistopheles in Shakespeare’s Globe’s first production of Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. Paul Hilton, who was recently seen in the BBC drama Silk, will play the title role of the scholar who makes a pact with the devil in exchange for knowledge. The production will run from 18 June to 2 October and is directed by Matthew Dunster and designed by Paul Wills. They will both collaborate with Puppetry Director Steve Tiplady, former Artistic Director of Little Angel Theatre Company, to transform the Globe in to an arena of wild spectacle with larger than life puppets and illusion. Huge flying dragons and horned stilt walkers will help to bring this dark fantastical world to life.

Doctor Faustus is one of the greatest tragedies in English before Shakespeare, and is being staged for the first time at the current Globe. Restless for knowledge and power, Faustus forsakes scholarship and makes a pact with the Devil: In exchange for giving his soul to the Devil after death, the evil spirit Mephistopheles will serve him for 24 years, providing him with magic and knowledge beyond his wildest dreams.

Arthur Darvill’s television credits include Doctor Who, Little Dorrit for the BBC and He Kills Coppers on ITV. He was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Evening Standard Awards in 2007 for his role as Rex in Swimming with Sharks (Vaudeville), his other theatre credits include Tierre Haute (Trafalgar Studios) and Stacy (Arcola). Arthur is a musician and composer and has collaborated with playwright Ché Walker in writing songs for The Frontline (Shakespeare’s Globe) and Been So Long (Young Vic/UK Tour).

Paul Hilton television credits include Silk for the BBC. He previously appeared in Shakespeare’s Globe’s production of As You Like It in 1998. Other theatre includes Rosmersholm (Almeida), In Celebration (Duke of York’s), The Wild Duck (Donmar), Morning Becomes Electra and Three Sisters (National Theatre).

Matthew Dunster’s previous work at Shakespeare’s Globe includes Troilus and Cressida in 2009 and Ché Walker’s The Frontline in 2008 and 2009. Other credits include Mogadishu (Lyric Hammersmith/UK Tour), The Maddening Rain (Old Red Lion), Love the Sinner (National Theatre) and You Can See The Hills (Royal Exchange and Young Vic).