Act One of Five: In which Sherrydown wakes at the witching hour; an old way opens for a sisterly reunion; and Harper opens a new case.
Programme notes
This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.
Matt’s playing Jason Statham’s Big Vacation in front of a live studio audience in London on Saturday 3 December. It’s been organised by The D20 Future Show as part of the Podcast Zone at Dragonmeet, which is at the Novotel in Hammersmith. Come watch Matt and the rest of Jason’s entourage run about making sure Jason has a nice holiday, in Beaujolais on the Mezzanine floor at 10am.
The second Interactive Soup is on Tuesday 6 December at Theatre Deli Leadenhall. Tickets cost £5, which goes in the pot, and get you a bowl of soup and a vote on how to spend the pot. Come along and help fund something that’ll help out the interactive performance community.
Dramatis personae and other definitions
Jess Butterworth: A twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.
Gwynned: A former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.
Calistarius Softbinding: A local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.
Harper: A US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.
Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.
Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.
Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.
Credits
COMPERE: Matt Boothman
STARRING:
Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky
Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine
Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert
Marta da Silva as Harper, the Searcher
ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands
MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst
SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman
EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman