Last year I had the rare and distinguished pleasure of working alongside a talented group of voice-over actors in a Free Bundle Originals production that would have made the very Norman Corwin tip his hat had he worn one. Written in less than four days (and cast in much less than that), “Through The Gates of Madness” is a writer’s fantasy.
The premise goes like this:
A strange door surfaces in the middle of the South Pole. Nobody knows how it got there. Nobody knows what’s behind. Walter Gibson, a seasoned war correspondent, will be joining a group of scientists from every nation to find out. Grab your gear and accompany Walter as he walks… through the gates of madness.
The talents, in no particular order: Alexander Ross as Walter Gibson and Professor Braun, Ella Moran as Helen Flinch, Jarrod Clegg as Major Matheson, and Shane Csontos-Popko as Soldier #2. The acting is beyond reproach; not only Ella Moran was able to fit the part almost perfectly, but everyone else came to be as close to the characters in my head as I could have ever imagined. Alexander Ross is an example of why voice actors should never be afraid to venture into acting projects; his portrait of Walter Gibson was so exemplary I had to ask him for a second part—and he delivered flawlessly.
It is difficult for me not to sing praises of these beautiful voice talents or the script I wrote, but I can’t hold myself thinking this is what fiction podcasts should be modeled after. Sitting and simply reading through a script is not enough; actors should play their part to the top of their capabilities, and writers should write them in equal force.
For those born after Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, The Bradbury Teather, or Outer Limits, this will come as a surprise given the quality of productions I have seen lately spout through streaming services.
For those who know what I am talking about, “Through The Gates of Madness” will feel like a classic. A missed episode from one of your favorite fiction anthologies. Without an inch of shame, for we worked our butts off, and we deserve to indulge in self-praise, I venture to say that our small production here will be looked back upon many years from now as one of those true gems everyone missed, thanks to the flavor of the week.
Listen here: https://thefreebundle.com/gates-of-madness/
More ways to listen right here.