Films of the complete theatrical works of Christopher Marlowe to be released to mark 460th birthday

Christopher ‘Kit’ Marlowe was an English playwright and poet in the 1500s. He is one of the most famous and celebrated writers of the Elizabethan era, despite his death at the early age of 29, and wrote the first English play in blank verse – Tamburlaine.

For the first time, Marlowe’s theatrical canon has been brought together as a single creative film volume. The films will premiere from 16-24 August at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, the city of the writer’s birth.

Dr Abigail Rokison-Woodall, Associate Professor in Shakespeare and Theatre at the University of Birmingham, was one of the performance directors for the project. She directed the films for Edward II and Massacre at Paris.

Dr Rokison-Woodall said: “This was a fascinating project on which to work. I learnt a great deal about Marlowe’s remarkable storytelling and dramaturgy and about how an early modern company, working closely together, might have been able to mount so many plays with limited rehearsal. I think that the resulting productions have a raw energy and immediacy that is highly engaging.”

This ground-breaking theatrical endeavour utilised cutting-edge technologies and recording methods to capture the essence and vibrancy of the live performances. The innovative approach to production focused on creating an immersive audio-visual experience, emblematic of the sonic footprint of the theatre in Elizabethan England. High-definition cameras captured the action on stage in 2D and VR.

After the premiere, all seven plays will be released in various formats to help a global audience experience the magic of Elizabethan theatre through a contemporary lens.

Deborah Shaw, Chief Executive of the Marlowe Theatre, said: "The Marlowe Sessions project has been a journey of rediscovery, breathing new life into the works of Canterbury's most famous son. This series is not just a tribute to Marlowe's genius but a bold statement about the timeless relevance of his works. We are excited to showcase The Sessions, which are a testament to the collaborative spirit and artistic innovation that drives our theatre."

Dominic West added: “It was a great pleasure to be part of this hugely ambitious staging of all of Marlowe’s plays and to have witnessed the performances of so many great actors, enhanced by this groundbreaking audio technology.”

The 2D and VR film versions of The Marlowe Sessions are set to be made available to schools, universities, and educational institutions to provide students and educators alike with a unique tool to explore and appreciate the richness of Marlowe's language and the depth of his works, in a single coherent series.

Ray Mia, Executive Producer at l6l21, commented, "The vision for The Marlowe Sessions was always to transcend the conventional boundaries of theatre and film. This series is a culmination of that dream – a fusion of remarkable talent, groundbreaking technology, and raw, unadulterated storytelling. We believe that The Sessions will not only entertain but also educate and inspire audiences globally about Marlowe's incredible talent, this is not just about it being the first time in over 400 years this has been produced, this is about protecting Marlowe’s legacy for students of drama and English, and storytelling."

Read the programme for the films, including full casting and credits.