A play written by Christopher Marlowe (who, like William Shakespeare, was a 16th century English playwright). In the play, based on an existing story, Doctor Faustus sells his soul to Hell in exchange for 24 living years with devils as his servants, and the knowledge and power that comes with that.

RPG Season 4 featured characters named Robin and Lucifer, and by coincidence, Marlowe's play does too: Robin is a clown, and Lucifer the Prince of Devils with whom Faustus makes his pact.

In Scene i of Act V, Faustus summons the spirit of the beautiful Helen of Troy (a familiar figure in Greek mythology), to whose rescue the Greek army sailed for Troy (also known as Ilium) where they fought and won the Trojan War. Faustus' address to Helen is the play's most famous section:

'Was this the face that launch'd a thousand ships,
And burnt the topless towers of Ilium?'
What has this to do with Knightmare? When Brother Mace meets the dungeoneer of Team 1 of Series 4 and learns her name is Helen, he responds:

"Was this the face that launched a thousand ships, or burnt the topless towers of Ilium? I think not."David Learner (Pickle) wrote music for a production of Doctor Faustus.

Nicholas Collett, who played Lissard in Knightmare VR and Sylvester the Jester in Geek Week Knightmare, has played the title character in a touring production of the play.

[Earlier versions: 2015-07-16 13:33:20, 2006-07-31 18:58:43, 2006-03-22 18:33:42]

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