In his programme notes for the Oxford Theatre Guild's production of Dr Faustus, Director Mike Taylor hopes that the show will be, “loud, funny, shocking, rude and provocative”. To this end, his interpretation is one that highlights the comic aspects of Marlowe's script over any philosophical or theological wrangling. The play – short by the standards of Marlowe's day – generally moves along quickly, although it does occasionally get bogged down in scenes that exist purely for comic relief and add little to the plot.

Joshua Hall is a restless and energetic Faustus, bounding around the stage in contrast to Bayley Eyley's menacingly still Mephistopheles. The two leads are well supported by the other cast members, who cope well with the many changes of character and costume. The verse speaking is generally very good, although there is sometimes a tendency to rush the lines and lose the meaning. The play is performed with the audience on three sides, and some of the cast are occasionally a little too quiet when their back is to one side or other, especially when competing with background music. These are minor points, however, and on the whole the cast do an excellent job of putting the story across. The technical team should also be congratulated, both for the sound and lighting design, and for the slick operation on the opening night.

If this likeable production has a flaw, it is that the Director almost seems to have had too many ideas, and has crammed them all into the 2-hour running time. The programme warns that the production, “will involve pyrotechnics, loud noise, bright flashes, smoke and interaction with the front rows of the audience”. Add to this a range of masks, props, comic accents, film projection, and some rather random appearances by a swivel chair, and the plot can occasionally get a little lost.

All in all, though, this version of Marlowe's classic is great fun and makes for a very enjoyable evening's entertainment.