THE WENDIGO

The Vagabond Theatre Ensemble presents a reading of...

THE WENDIGO

By Eric Sanders

Directed by Matthew Hancock

Based on the classic supernatural horror story by Algernon Blackwood

Four hunters, lost in the Canadian woods, begin losing their minds and battling a gigantic, unseen creature in this adaptation of Algernon Blackwood's classic tale of supernatural horror.

A not from The Author:

Algernon Blackwood (1869-1951) was one of the most influential and mysterious writers of the twentieth century. His works have had a profound impact on everyone from Stephen King to Marvel comics to major Hollywood movies, but his name has been lost to the annals of history. Now is the time to rescue this great author from the jaws of oblivion.

Blackwood's prime interests were human psychology, the occult and the supernatural. He explored in profound detail the effects that both real and 'perceived' extraordinary events have on the frail human psyche. A deeply spiritual man who rejected the simplicity of Christianity at an early age, Blackwood sought to evoke "spiritual terror" through his stories, to strike at the very core of what makes us human—how we define our universe and our perceived safe place within it. He sought to terrify, but even more expressly, he sought to astound. The sensation of awe factors heavily throughout his life's work; he viewed the world through a lens of astonishing innocence and objectivity, often personifying places and supernatural phenomena just as vividly as his human characters. According to fellow horror genius H.P. Lovecraft, Blackwood reigns supreme as "the one absolute and unquestioned master of weird atmosphere."

One of Blackwood's best stories is the magnificent THE WENDIGO (1908). On the surface, this is a classic story of man versus nature—four hunters, lost in the Canadian woods, begin losing their minds and battling a gigantic, unseen creature—but on a spiritual level the story forces us to question our position and purpose in the universe, to wonder if perhaps there are some places, as the narrator says, that no human foot was meant to trod. For surely this is the locus of the madness that overtakes these men—the realization of their own insignificance in the overwhelming scope of nature, the world, the universe. For Blackwood, humanity was a lens through which to view the universe, not the other way around. While many writers of the era concentrated on reflecting society back at the reader, Blackwood delved further and further away from mundane realities, more interested in the bedrock of what makes us human: Our tender and tumultuous relationship with the very earth we stand on.

In my adaptation of THE WENDIGO, I have tried to preserve the almost unbearably tense atmosphere of Blackwood's story while injecting moments of stark and visceral terror. Director Matt Hancock and I plan to create a world that envelops the audience so deeply that they almost feel the snow on their shoulders. Just as important as the surroundings, we will focus on the five men trapped within this nightmare; for this is a moving story about people, shattered beyond belief by what they have experienced, trying to put their lives back together and move on. We are incredibly honored to have the opportunity to introduce today's audiences to the unique and awe-inspiring world of Algernon Blackwood.

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

Monday, Spetember 15th

7pm

Underground @ The Gene Frankel Theater

arrive early. seats on a first come, first served basis

you can email TheWendigoPlay@gmail.com for seat reservations or more information

Directions: Located on Bond Street, just east of Lafayette.

Location: 24 Bond Street, NY, New York 10012

Transportation: 6 to Bleeker, or V, D, F, B, to Broadway/Lafayette.