this was really cool! i was running a dungeons & dragons campaign a while ago involving a satanic ritual, and i had the idea of using the wording from a real-life satanic ritual just to give the game a bit more of an edge. In the end, one of the guys in the group was uncomfortable with it, and we didn't go through with it, cos it was like "at what point does it go from being a game to being an actual satanic ritual?" We weren't gonna sacrifice a chicken or anything but yeah i always thought it would've been funny if i ended up accidentally summoning a demon haha
Oh wow, I think I'd have been nervous about it too! Role playing and theatre have a big overlap when it comes to the 'are we doing this for real?' question. I have a feeling if I ever get into Dungeons & Dragons it will completely take over my life...Lovely insight, thank you Joe!
Not gonna lie, when i watch films dealing with horror related to biblical or religious matters, i always cringe when they do rituals, or even identify and willy-nilly spout names of supernatural entities so carefreely.
Hello, the following is a just very remote association but I hope it'll make you smile. There was an outstanding Polish actor, Zdzisław Maklakiewicz. He used to tell this anecdote: 'It was a role! I don't know if you understand what I mean. An episode, but what an episode! I held the audience by the mouth for three minutes! I leave the theater later, a guy accosts me. - Excuse me very much, are you the one who held all of us by the mouth for three minutes? - Well, yes, it seems I did. - Sir, let me hold *you* now...'
I've never heard of the Thomas Middleton play before, will have a look at that this week! On a (massively) tangential note, have you ever heard the performance of Richard O'Brien's Disgracefully Yours? He plays the devil Mephistopheles and comments from his perspective on all things Faustian,. It's a fun, camp romp which I have a soft spot for. Pretty sure it's up on youtube too.
I'll have to check that out, thanks! Middleton is an interesting writer because his plays and books were extremely popular in their day but are often so topical that they don't make sense to a modern reader. His play 'A Game at Chess' is a great example, it was one of the biggest 'hits' of Jacobean theatre, dramatising a conflict between the Spanish and English in the form of a chess game, but it's almost never performed and no one remembers it apart from early modernists!
I hope it's a fun distraction at least! Yeah, I imagine so much social context is either lost or obscure. I certainly don't envy future historians trying to decode the nuances of meme culture! I'll have to look into that play as that metaphorical structure is lovely. Who knows, with the recent popularity rise of chess, it could make a comeback? Double bill with Chess the Musical?
Such an interesting phenomenon to contemplate: the difference between a theatrical performance of a conjuration and a real one with full intentions behind it! Thank you so much for this thought-provoking read! Awesome piece of writing!!! ✍️ 👏💖💞💕
First rule of horror: don't read from the book! Even if it comes it script form. Thanks for the fascinating read!
Thank you!!
this was really cool! i was running a dungeons & dragons campaign a while ago involving a satanic ritual, and i had the idea of using the wording from a real-life satanic ritual just to give the game a bit more of an edge. In the end, one of the guys in the group was uncomfortable with it, and we didn't go through with it, cos it was like "at what point does it go from being a game to being an actual satanic ritual?" We weren't gonna sacrifice a chicken or anything but yeah i always thought it would've been funny if i ended up accidentally summoning a demon haha
Oh wow, I think I'd have been nervous about it too! Role playing and theatre have a big overlap when it comes to the 'are we doing this for real?' question. I have a feeling if I ever get into Dungeons & Dragons it will completely take over my life...Lovely insight, thank you Joe!
you have a lovely voice, I really enjoyed listening to this!
Thank you, Ruby!
Not gonna lie, when i watch films dealing with horror related to biblical or religious matters, i always cringe when they do rituals, or even identify and willy-nilly spout names of supernatural entities so carefreely.
Hello, the following is a just very remote association but I hope it'll make you smile. There was an outstanding Polish actor, Zdzisław Maklakiewicz. He used to tell this anecdote: 'It was a role! I don't know if you understand what I mean. An episode, but what an episode! I held the audience by the mouth for three minutes! I leave the theater later, a guy accosts me. - Excuse me very much, are you the one who held all of us by the mouth for three minutes? - Well, yes, it seems I did. - Sir, let me hold *you* now...'
I’ve ALWAYS wondered about this!! Thank you. Fascinating!
Glad you enjoyed it, Allison!
I've never heard of the Thomas Middleton play before, will have a look at that this week! On a (massively) tangential note, have you ever heard the performance of Richard O'Brien's Disgracefully Yours? He plays the devil Mephistopheles and comments from his perspective on all things Faustian,. It's a fun, camp romp which I have a soft spot for. Pretty sure it's up on youtube too.
I'll have to check that out, thanks! Middleton is an interesting writer because his plays and books were extremely popular in their day but are often so topical that they don't make sense to a modern reader. His play 'A Game at Chess' is a great example, it was one of the biggest 'hits' of Jacobean theatre, dramatising a conflict between the Spanish and English in the form of a chess game, but it's almost never performed and no one remembers it apart from early modernists!
I hope it's a fun distraction at least! Yeah, I imagine so much social context is either lost or obscure. I certainly don't envy future historians trying to decode the nuances of meme culture! I'll have to look into that play as that metaphorical structure is lovely. Who knows, with the recent popularity rise of chess, it could make a comeback? Double bill with Chess the Musical?
Such an interesting phenomenon to contemplate: the difference between a theatrical performance of a conjuration and a real one with full intentions behind it! Thank you so much for this thought-provoking read! Awesome piece of writing!!! ✍️ 👏💖💞💕
Thanks so much, Rebecca, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This is an interesting read. Thanks for writing.
Thank you, Stephen!
we believe one necromancer.That'one Faust!!!!
I never gave this much thought...and now I'm creeped out Lol
evil laugh