From the creators of BADD : Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons comes their new project, UNBURIED – in part inspired by the first FHR event `Otherworldy’ held at the British Museum in 2016.
In 1978, HTV produced a six-part children’s Folk Horror serial called ‘Unburied’. The tapes are now missing, presumed destroyed. In the subsequent decades, its existence has become the stuff of myth. But as its 40th anniversary approaches, it’s time to dig up what little information we have on this enigmatic footnote in television history
Join Folk Horror enthusiast, Carrie Marx, as she conducts a personal investigation into the cracks in our collective memory. Beginning with a study of British television classics such as ‘Children of the Stones’, ‘The Owl Service’, and ‘Doctor Who’, Marx leaves no stone unturned as she unearths a terrifying mystery, buried in our cultural past.
Carrie’s fellow Hermetic Arts partner Chris Lince found time in their busy preparation and rehearsal schedule to speak to FHR – “UNBURIED is a mystery we’ve been delving into for the past year, and it’s taken us further back, and deeper down, than we would have ever expected. There’s lots to enjoy for fans of weird 1970s TV, but also for those interested in the hauntological and how the ghosts of the past impact on our future.”
When we questioned Chris about their approach to this production his reply will no doubt sound like a folk horror revivalist idea of heaven – but I imagine the fact that a self-written, acted and produced piece of theatre is the desired end result will have added many stresses and worries to this otherwise wonderful sounding use of one’s time….
“We were already fans of a lot of Folk Horror films (and I had watched all of Doctor Who, apart from those elusive missing 97 episodes…) but it was only since attending the British Museum Folk Horror Revival event in 2016 that we started specifically delving into the television of that era. We adore all of Nigel Kneale’s work, and spent a good chunk of Christmas holed up watching MR James adaptations.
In terms of research, Richard Molesworth’s book “Wiped”, Stephen Brotherstone and Dave Lawrence’s “Scarred For Life”, “The Edge Is Where The Centre Is” edited by SS Sandhu and, of course, Adam Scovell’s “Folk Horror” and “Field Studies” edited by Andy Paciorek and Katherine Beem, all proved invaluable, as well as blog posts by Howard Ingham, Phil Sandifer, and Jack Graham….. and from watching a lot of 1970s TV. We made a ‘Children of the Stones’ pilgrimage to Avebury last year, and spent a lot of time discussing how best to translate the ideas of Folk Horror into a live show. Film and TV benefits so much from being shot in genuinely ancient landscapes, so to create a stage show we’ve tried to approach the themes and concerns of Folk Horror from a slightly different angle…”
The Show runs from 7th – 11th March at Waterloo East Theatre as part of the VAULT Festival. Tickets are available via the booking link (vaultfestival.com/whats-on/unburied)
HERMETIC ARTS is a multidisciplinary producing partnership, creating genre work in theatre, film, podcasting, and animation. It is 50% Chris Lincé and 50% Carrie Marx. Specialising in the Dark Arts, Horror, Cryptozoology, Mischief, Science Fiction, and Odd Stuff, their previous show, BADD, (a theatrical exploration into the 1980s US Satanic Panic) premiered at the 2017 VAULT Festival, before transferring to the Brighton Fringe, and a sell-out run at the London Horror Festival.
To keep up with what Chris and Carrie are doing follow them (@hermetic_arts) on Twitter. If you’re interested in knowing more, or getting involved, contact them at info@hermetic-arts.co.uk
THE TRIANGLE OF ART: This symbol represents the protected space outside the magic circle, into which spirits are compelled to appear in Solomonic ritual magic. Its function is to concentrate the spirit being invoked into one space so that it can be seen visibly. The purpose of the triangle is to keep the manifested entity contained.
HERMETIC ARTS is committed to protecting its audience from any entities that may be manifested.
We will hand over again to Chris Lince for the final word –
“There are a lot of similarities between the creation of artistic work and the ritual behaviours of religions and mystical practices. Good theatre, like a good séance, brings people together to explore the past and dream of the future.”
Folk Horror Revival & Urban Wyrd Project ⨘ 