Thursday, January 8, 2009

The Wicked and the Dead

Big Finish Productions have confirmed their next Dark Shadows dramatic reading CD, which is due out at the end of January. The Wicked and the Dead stars Jerry Lacy and John Karlen in an all-story based on the 1897 flashback storyline. Here’s the synopsis:

“Sometimes a devout man must do evil in the name of the greater good...”

Collinwood in the year 1897. The Reverend Gregory Trask has been walled alive inside Quentin’s room in punishment for his crimes against the Collins family and is close to death. As his loneliness degenerates into madness, a stranger appears to him with an intriguing offer – one that might set Trask free... or condemn him to the darkness forever.

The script is by Eric Wallace, who writes for Sci-Fi’s Eureka. He says: “I tried to remember what it was like watching that storyline for the first time. I wanted to tap into that same sense of amazement and surprise I initially felt way back when. The extreme nature of the story's setting - a man's final hours on earth - helped tremendously as it gave the play a sense of immediacy that made channeling Trask and Carl all the more easy. It also created a charged and heightened sense of reality, the kind that makes writing and watching Dark Shadows stories so much fun. Yes, sometimes dramatic limitations can be blessing! And I think the actors felt it, too, because Jerry and John deliver some truly intense and wonderfully emotional performances here. Watching them was like being in 1897... even if it was just for a moment.”

The CD is available to order by clicking here.

6 comments:

ACollinsVampire said...

Yes for Jerry and John! I can't wait till this gets released.

These audiodramas are a blessing since there isn't anything up to their standards on television.

Unknown said...

Cool - can't wait to hear this one!

David Elijah Nahmod said...

I'm delighted to see other original cast members, Lacy in this case, brought in to do these audio dramas.
The original DS is truly back!

I'd love to see the CDs used to tie up more of the show's loose ends and explain the various paradoxes.

Unknown said...

Stuart

Congats - I just finished listening to the first sesson of DS Reborn and the excellent Ghost Watcher - these are fantastic and I am listening to the them on my IPOD as I walk to work in the morning in cold dark London (perfect for DS) - I think I even passed by Cadogan Square whilst listening to one. They are excellent and I am watching the 1840 storyline from the series at the same time. I loved Kathy Lee Scott's Ghost Watcher beautifully done. Keep em ooming. Any chance of s atoryline about the seemingly magical multi-coloured quilt that travels from Maggie Evans house to Daniel's room in 1840!!

Will the Phoneix make an appearence - a reading with her and Angelique would be fab!!!

Andy

StuartM said...

Actually, the time-travelling quilt gets a mention in "The Ghost Watcher", I'll have you know... Seriously, Glad to hear you're enjoying the CDs -- lots of exciting things in the pipeline, too, so keep listening.

Marty DeRose said...

The Wicked and the Dead…truly like stepping back in time to 1969 when the origins of this audio drama aired. Riveting dialog between Jerry Lacy and John Karlen bracketed by the “full story” of the infamous Rev. Trask’s soul and the lives corrupted and destroyed by its influence. This drama really gets inside the head of Trask as his “whole life flashes” before him as it were, during those agonizing moments entrapped within his darkened tomb in Quentin’s room. Brilliant script and production that keeps the DS fan thoroughly enthralled from beginning to end. Hope to see more releases in the future in similar vein, revolving around such captivating characters like Trask (in all incarnations—robustly voiced by Jerry Lacy) and the roles portrayed by John Karlen.