Original Theatre have recently ventured into the aural theatre space with ‘The Unquiet: Stories for Dark Nights’ a podcast series that sees the company adapt ghost stories. The first episode is a brand new dramatisation of E. Nesbit’s short story ‘The Mass For The Dead’ and I was recently invited to share my thoughts on the first episode. Original Theatre is known for their online work, which includes nearly 20 digital theatre shows and I was interested to see how they would approach creating a new theatrical-themed podcast. ‘The Mass For The Dead’ has been adapted by Max Pappenheim and Philip Franks, with the former also directing.
The Mass For The Dead
The first episode stars Jemma Redgrave, Philip Franks and Susie Blake, and follows a distraught Jasper, who has returned from some time away to his sweetheart Kate betrothed to marry another man. The sleepless night before the wedding and its aftermath has an unsettling effect on his life, with the boundaries blurring between the real and supernatural.
Each episode has a duration of 30 minutes and the creative team manages to achieve a lot during this time, including introducing the characters, establishing an eerie atmosphere and ensuring there is an element of surprise throughout. The story comes to a climax just as the episode ends and you can’t help but feel this series will be best appreciated by those unfamiliar with the narratives featured. I really didn’t know what Jasper’s fate would be, and even though ghost stories aren’t typically my cup of tea, there is something so haunting about the storytelling and atmospheric score that I was hooked until the very end.
Aural experience
The company recommends that audiences listen to the podcast with headphones on, in the dark or with your eyes closed, and I can’t reiterate enough how strong the sound design is under these conditions. At times it literally feels like the characters are in the room with you, which is testament to the care and attention given to the overall aural experience. It is a chilling adaptation that feels all the more suspenseful in a dark, isolated space.
Final thoughts
I look forward to the future of ‘The Unquiet: Stories for Dark Nights’. It is a podcast that will feature ghost stories through the ages and I am intrigued to see how the company will approach slightly more modern work. The 30-minute running time also makes the subject matter more accessible to a wider audience, who wouldn’t typically gravitate to the supernatural genre. The first episode is available for free via Apple Podcasts or Spotify now, with the next instalment planned for release in early 2026.
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