There are stranger things done in the midnight sun other than cremating Sam McGee. And there are more ways to moil for gold – some with even darker consequences.
Eldritch Theatre takes us on a strange, dark and magical adventure with their production of The Harrowing of Brimstone McReedy. Created and performed by Eldritch Theatre co-founder Eric Woolfe, and directed by Dylan Trowbridge, the show opened at Red Sandcastle Theatre on Thursday night; I caught the spooky fun last night.
It is 1898 and our charming host for the evening is the affable scoundrel Brimstone McReedy, who sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for that which he most desires. Armed with dark mystical objects proffered by Old Scratch himself – bell, book and candle – McReedy joins an infamous gang of grifters. Learning of the gold rush, the gang is bound for Dawson, where they plan to mine gold from the wallets and pockets of prospectors and other fortune-seekers there.
Things take a turn when McReedy falls for the boss’s girl, the lovely dark-haired Epiphany Blackburn, and he cheats his way into her heart. Armed with nothing but their wits and determination, they leave the gang and finish the harsh trek to Dawson, where Epiphany goes to work as a dancing girl at Belinda Mulrooney’s Fairview Hotel and McReedy gets to swindling. And it’s all jake for a while. Until jealousy rears its ugly green head and loyalties come into question, culminating in some nail-biting, life-changing matches of wits and card playing as the tale reaches its harrowing finale.
After all, magic always comes with a price and the house always wins – especially when the Devil is dealing.
Weaving the tale with magic, puppetry and a gruesome version of the shell game, Woolfe is a deft and entertaining storyteller. As McReedy, he’s a lovable scoundrel, giving us a lesson in the art of the swindle and incorporating some friendly audience participation before and during the show.
With big shouts to the design team for their work in creating this spooky, evocative period environment: Eric Woolfe (puppets), Melanie McNeill (production design), Kaitlin Hickey (lighting), Jude Haines (sound), Joanne Boland (vocals and piano music) and dark arts guide Magic Mike Segal. And to intrepid producer/box office girl Friday Adrianna Prosser and SM Sandi Becker for keeping it all together.
Magic, puppets, shenanigans and horror in the spellbinding, diabolically funny The Harrowing of Brimstone McReedy.
The Harrowing of Brimstone McReedy continues at Red Sandcastle Theatre until Nov 13; get your advance tickets online and have yourself a spooky Halloween good time.
You can keep up with Eldritch Theatre on Twitter and Facebook.
In the meantime, check out the trailer:
life with more cowbell 
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