The club was founded on 13 February 1908 by a group consisting of Justin Brooke (Emmanuel College) , Francis Macdonald Cornford (Trinity College), Andrew Sydenham Farrar Gow (Trinity College) and Jane Ellen Harrison (Newnham College, Lecturer in Classical Archaeology) who had produced Christopher Marlowe's ''Doctor Faustus'' in 1907. The Society existed to produce Renaissance plays, particularly those in verse, or those which were little performed. It organised the first performances of Shakespeare in the city since 1886, and produced plays by, among others, Christopher Marlowe, John Webster and Ben Jonson. From its inception, the society placed a strong emphasis on the importance of the skill of verse-speaking. An early set of rules also indicates it was self-selecting and limited in number to 50 members. These rules stipulated that names of performers were not to be included on the play programmes (although they were to be recorded in the club minutes), nor were curtain calls to be permitted. For members not acting in the annual production there were play readings to attend. Notable members have included Rupert Chawner Brooke (second president), Geoffrey Langdon Keynes, George Humphrey Wolferstan Rylands, Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton, Ian McKellan, Derek Jacobi, Trevor Nunn and Griff Rhys Jones. From at least 2007 the society has been known as simply ''The Marlowe''. Further information about its activities is on its website at http://www.societies.cam.ac.uk/marlowe.