The Wendigo

Lost in the wilderness, four hunters venture deep into a world they were never meant to see...

Details

Written by Eric Sanders
Based on the classic supernatural horror story by Algernon Blackwood
Directed by Matthew Hancock
With Erik Gratton, Nick Merritt, Graham Outerbridge, and Kurt Uy
Produced by Sarah Ann Masse
Stage Manager: Michelle Kelleher
Lighting Design by Brian Tovar
Set Design by Nick Vaughan
More photosSound Design by M.L. Dogg
Costume Design by Candice Thompson
Artwork and Projections by Gino Barzizza
Public Relations by Emily Owens PR  

History

Presented by Vagabond Theatre Ensemble at The Medicine Show Theatre
February 5 - February 28, 2009

Background

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 place within it. He sought to terrify, but even more expressly, he sought to astound. The sensation of awe factors heavily throughout his 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 legend 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 if perhaps there are some places, as the narrator says, that "no human foot was meant to trod." While many writers of his era concentrated on reflecting society back at the reader, Blackwood delved further away from mundane realities, more interested in the bedrock of our existence: our tender and tumultuous relationship with the very earth we stand on.

Awards

J.B. Spins: The Best of 2009 On-Stage:
"One of the best staged genre productions of the year, Eric Sanders’s adaption of Algernon Blackwood’s The Wendigo was a cool little production for those who enjoy a good supernatural yarn, but prefer the suggestive to the graphic."

Press

Fangoria article about The Wendigo.
New York Metro feature on The Wendigo.
Neighborbee Blog interview with Eric Sanders about The Wendigo and much more.
Pink Raygun interview with Eric Sanders about The Wendigo and horror theatre.
Broadway Bullet podcast interview with Eric Sanders and producer Sarah Ann Masse about The Wendigo.

Reviews

"A superb adaptation... the aura of fear and anxiety is palpable, and a tale of horror is expertly spun."
- Hi Drama

“[The Wendigo] has atmosphere in spades. It is positively dripping in it, starting the moment you walk into the theater... Thankfully Vagabond delivers on their promise masterfully… There was more than one moment of nearly jumping out of one's seat… a fitting tribute to one of the masters of modern horror…  At the very least, it should inspire you to double-check your doors and leave a light on.”
- Toby Thelin, OffOffOnline

“With The Wendigo, it is clear that playwright Eric Sanders, director Matthew Hancock, and their design team are determined to remind us of what scary stories can be and do… Sanders has provided an admirably straightforward approach that preserves the tone of his source material… An engaging, enjoyably spooky exercise in adaptation..."
- Frank Episale, OffOffOff

“I was so grateful to see The Vagabond Theatre Ensemble’s production of The Wendigo… [It] doesn't let go until well after the play is over… An effective production that deserves an audience, if only to remind us that fright doesn’t have to be dependent on extreme visuals or lots of screaming. Sometimes, horror can be experienced from the inside out. This play proves that the best horror comes from your own mind."
- Theresa Jusino, Pink Raygun

“Spooky… streamlined… the production is constantly elevated by the careful culling of Blackwood's original descriptions.”
- Aaron Riccio, That Sounds Cool

"Wendigo is an old-fashioned story staged in a very contemporary manner. The lighting, rear-projected images, and sparse but evocative set create a legitimately unsettling atmosphere. Against this backdrop, Matthew Hancock's shrewd direction builds the tension organically through suggestion and the performances."
- J.B. Spins

"A tale of existential dread and supernatural menace… The Wendigo is almost like a rediscovered script rather than most current attempts to place a frightening story onstage. There is no framing device or winking irony, no postmodern deconstruction of the source material. It is a campfire tale of a play, driven by language and mood."
- The Ephemerist

"Sumptuously atmospheric… Director Matthew Hancock gets commendable performances from all the actors who are all especially fine in communicating the 'spiritual terror' that is the real source of all of Blackwood's work (a refreshing virtue in today's market of overstatement)… The jewel in the crown of the piece is its sensational production design… the overall concept was so skillfully self-contained that it was jarring to step into 10th Ave. street traffic at the show's close."
- VanLoan, NYC Onstage

"Tense… The surroundings create a terrifying atmosphere, while the content intermixes fear and contemplation with confusion and humor."
- Washington Square News

"Director Matthew Hancock does commendable work building the tone and creating a haunting atmosphere… Sanders keeps the style of his source material and the language he employs in the mouths of these capable actors is never less than fascinating."
- Robert Weinstein, nytheatre.com

"You know that friend that liked X-Files a lot? This is his show…. [its] images will creep you out well into the night… you'll still probably need a buddy there to take the edge off."
- Theatre is Easy

"The story's power lies in its evocation of mysterious primeval forces that may yet lurk in the depths of the forest in spite of human civilization… an able, creative crew handles all these elements with gusto…"
- Jon Sobel, Blogcritics

“Eerie... suspense-filled… startling... terror-filled, tense… The actors were believable, and their performances truly captured the unknown terror of the wilderness…"
- Gina Osnovich, Brooklyn Daily Eagle

“Matthew Hancock, the director, has found the exactly-right creepy tone for this story, helped enormously by projections by Gino Barzizza and, especially, scary sound by M. L. Dogg. His actors, Erik Gratton, Nick Merritt, Graham Outerbridge and Kurt Uy have found the perfect understated tone.”
- Lawrence Harbison, On the Aisle With Larry

"The Wendigo does an impressive job with creating an unsettling mood. The sparse set, effective lighting, and nerve-jangling music do a terrific job with establishing a very tense atmosphere around this tale… It effectively conjures a real feeling of dread and unease… It will creep you out enough to make you think twice about camping in the woods alone.”
- Matt Schwartz, Suvudu

“[The Wendigo] does an excellent job of staying in that gray area where reality and nightmare mix… It is genuinely unsettling… All the elements serve to put the audience in a vague state of unsease… moody, and disturbing.”
- Byrne Harrison, Theater Online

“This play was amazing… A true ensemble piece – beginning with Algernon Blackwood’s stunning tale of horror written in 1910, continuing on with Eric Sanders’ compelling adaptation... The story literally enshrouds you before one word is even spoken… When the lights come up you can’t quite shake the feeling that something awful is lurking…”
- Karen Tortora-Lee, The Happiest Medium