The Stage

West, Maxwell Martin and Jones head Radio 3 Faust cast

Published Thursday 1 July 2010 at 12:27 by Matthew Hemley

Samuel West, Anna Maxwell Martin and Toby Jones are to star in new four-hour BBC production of Goethe’s Faust.

The Radio 3 drama features West, who most recently appeared in the West End production of Enron, in the lead role, with Jones as Mephistopheles and Maxwell Martin as Gretchen.

Faust, which has been translated by John R Williams and also stars Derek Jacobi, is being brought to Radio 3 by independent company Ukemi Productions and is directed by David Timson.

It is produced by Nicholas Soames and features new music by Roger Marsh.

Radio 3 is also to broadcast a new production of John Webster’s The White Devil, which will star Maxwell Martin alongside Frances de la Tour and Shaun Dingwall.

It is being made by the BBC and directed by Marc Beeby.

BBC Radio 3 head of speech Abigail Appleton said: “Radio 3 drama is the perfect medium to engage listeners’ imaginations, whether in the philosophy, myth and fantasy of Faust or in the murder and seduction of The White Devil. We’re delighted to have been able to cast such outstanding actors who will do justice to these intense stories.”

Both productions are due to be broadcast in the autumn.