Fourth Monkey marks Marlowe's 450th with season in Canterbury

A season of productions is being staged by theatre company Fourth Monkey next month to mark the 450th anniversary of Christopher Marlowe‘s birth.

The 'Marlowe450' season opens from 12 to 14 March 2014 with a production of Marlowe's Faustus in the Marlowe Studio in Canterbury – Marlowe's birthplace – with The Jew Of Malta following at the same venue from 26 to 28 March.

Rarely-seen Marlowe play The Massacre At Paris will be revived in the Canterbury Cathedral Crypt on 18 and 19 June, directed by former Secret Cinema collaborator Andy Dawson and Paul Allain.

Marlowe was an English dramatist, poet, translator and spy, whose mysterious disappearance aged only 29 is still shrouded in ambiguity. He was baptised in Canterbury on 26 February 1564, 450 years ago.

The season is being produced in association with the Marlowe Theatre and Society

Steven Green, artistic director of Fourth Monkey, said: "To be delivering a season of Marlowe's work in repertory in association with the Marlowe Theatre and Society is an honour and a privilege on the anniversary of his birth… Too often in Shakespeare's shadow, the man and the work deserves a stage of his own and in our own little way we are delighted to be offering him one."

Each show’s opening night will be preceded by a talk to discuss Marlowe’s works, life and death. Speakers include writers Charles Nicholl, Ros Barber, Louis de Bernieres and Jan Leeming.

Fourth Monkey's recent productions include site specific shows Project Colony and Paradise Lost (2013) at Trinity Buoy Wharf, and three productions at last year's Edinburgh Fringe.