Poster

The poster’s imagery centers on a demonic figure, directly referencing the moral descent of Faustus, the protagonist who bargains his soul for forbidden knowledge. The supernatural entity serves as both a literal and symbolic representation of the play’s exploration of hubris, corruption, and the consequences of unchecked ambition.

McKee’s design employs stark, high-contrast visuals to evoke a sense of foreboding. The demonic figure dominates the composition, rendered with bold lines and minimal detail to maximize impact. The restrained color palette and absence of extraneous elements focus attention on the central motif, reinforcing the poster’s theatrical purpose.

Commissioned by the Torch Theatre for its 1988 production of Christopher Marlowe’s *Doctor Faustus*, the poster was printed in 1987. It now resides in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it is preserved as an example of late 20th-century theatrical advertising and graphic design.

The poster reflects the conventions of late 1980s theatrical marketing, where a single evocative image often sufficed to convey a play’s tone. Its design aligns with the era’s broader trends in graphic art, favoring immediacy and emotional resonance over narrative complexity.

As part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings, the poster contributes to the study of visual culture in theater promotion. It exemplifies how graphic design can distill a play’s essence into a single, memorable image, influencing subsequent approaches to advertising in the performing arts.