The Fall of the House of Usher, adapted by Robert Lanier from Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) has been credited by many as the inventor of the detective story, by others as a forerunner to modern-day science fiction. Though Poe was primarily a poet, he also wrote short stories about the darker side of life, and has influenced many – from the gothic Victorian horror stories to Vincent Price movies of the 1960s, and even in an episode of the Simpsons. He died tragically at the age of 40, a few days after having been found in a delirious and semi-conscious state. No autopsy was performed, and – perhaps fittingly - the reasons behind his death remain a mystery to this day. The Fall of the House of Usher is one of his most famous tales, here adapted for the stage.

Ethan Powell receives a mysterious letter from a very ill old school friend, Roderick Usher. On arrival, the illness Usher tells of turns out to be a gradual state of mental destruction, in his madness believing the House is a living and breathing entity. Later he learns that Usher’s sister, the Lady Madeline, is in a similarly catastrophic state of physical decline, her catatonic condition making the insane Usher believe that she is dead. And of the ancient crumbling and dilapidated house itself, also gradually falling apart from decades of neglect.

At first Powell takes it too literally, unable to see past the bounds of reality. But as the story unfolds he can only reason that Usher is insane, all the horrific stories he hears too fantastic to be believable.

Or are they?

Is the deterioration of the House, Usher and the Lady all some bizarre coincidence? Or could they be some horrific metaphysical connection between the three?

This play, with a combination of acting, lighting and sound effects (and of course a smoke machine and spiders hanging from the ceiling), should have the audience hiding behind their seats !

Characters:

Usher, M, 30+
The Master of the house, the mental deterioration. Suffering from a sort of bipolar disorder, ranging from delirious rage over apparently trivial matters, to depression over irrational ideas about his deterioration; his opiate addiction heightens or causes this illness.

Lady Madeline, F, 30+
Sister of Usher, the physical deterioration. She has chronic catatonia and is rarely able to move or speak. Usher cares for her as much as he can but later in the story he entombs her mistaking her for dead.

Powell, M, 30+ (Similar to Usher)
Inquisitive and rational character, worried about his friend. At first he desperately tries to find out a logical explanation for all this horror he sees around. He believes opiate addiction as the cause of Usher’s hallucinations, but later realising that perhaps he was telling the truth – or perhaps he was going mad as well…?

Gray, M or F, any age
The servant. Acts as a foil to Powell in order to establish facts about the House and its tenants. A wary and suspicious character, defensive about Usher and Lady Madeline and does not want to believe what is happening. After much conversation with Powell, he/she starts to realise that the goings-on of the House and its occupants are far more advanced than he/she thinks.

Audition pieces can be downloaded (Word format) below:
Audition Piece 1
Audition Piece 2
Audition Piece 3
Audition Piece 4

Mark Davies Director

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