The Dunshelm Players: Recent Episodes
DunshelmPlayers
Welcome to the home of the Dunshelm Players. Previously known as the KM-RAmDram team, we are a drama/storytelling group dedicated to reviving the profile of Knightmare, a classic TV gameshow created by Tim Child in the 1980s.
Season Finale
The fourth era of the Dungeon Of Deceit is imminent, and it is a time of change; the Dungeon is growing fast and far beyond its old boundaries, while some of the mightiest of its occupants, both light and dark, are coming into conflict. When old alliances are broken by treachery and greed, fresh alliances are formed as new protagonists emerge, until five distinct factions – four of them forces for evil and only one of them a force for good – take shape. Of these, it is the faction controlled by the sorceress Malice that takes the initiative. While the Dungeon Master, Treguard of Dunshelm, tries to remain impartial and above the conflicts raging in the Greater Game, the war leads to chaos, death, and a new dominant evil that he simply must range his forces against. Confusion is certain…
Treguard - Ruzl Odoni
Malice - Helen Becconsall
Pickle - Andy Marshall
Aedric (Lord Fear)/FatillaThe Hun - Martin Odoni
Morghanna/Mistress Goody(badwife) - Rosey Collins
Merlin - Matt Richings
Mogdred - Martin Harder
Hordriss the Confuser/Gumboil - Jake Collins
Skarkill - Ricky Temple
Sir Hugh de Wittless - Adam Hall
written by Martin Odoni.
Intro music ‘Return Of The Knights’ provided by Soundrangers, composer anonymous
Outro music ‘Under The Surface’ composed by Sebastian Morawietz
Sound effects provided by The Free Sound Project and Soundrangers.
Production mixed by Martin Odoni
Edited for podcast by Martin Harder
Special thanks to Robin Barlow, David Forester, Clare Speedie, Billy Hicks, Sue McPherson, Kieran O’Brien, Emma Venvell, Saijal Mistry and Andrew ‘Snowcat’ Kenny.
Part 3 of 4.
The fourth era of the Dungeon Of Deceit is imminent, and it is a time of change; the Dungeon is growing fast and far beyond its old boundaries, while some of the mightiest of its occupants, both light and dark, are coming into conflict. When old alliances are broken by treachery and greed, fresh alliances are formed as new protagonists emerge, until five distinct factions – four of them forces for evil and only one of them a force for good – take shape. Of these, it is the faction controlled by the sorceress Malice that takes the initiative. While the Dungeon Master, Treguard of Dunshelm, tries to remain impartial and above the conflicts raging in the Greater Game, the war leads to chaos, death, and a new dominant evil that he simply must range his forces against. Confusion is certain…
Treguard - Ruzl Odoni
Malice - Helen Becconsall
Pickle - Andy Marshall
Aedric (Lord Fear)/FatillaThe Hun - Martin Odoni
Morghanna/Mistress Goody(badwife) - Rosey Collins
Merlin - Matt Richings
Mogdred - Martin Harder
Hordriss the Confuser/Gumboil - Jake Collins
Skarkill - Ricky Temple
Sir Hugh de Wittless - Adam Hall
written by Martin Odoni.
Intro music ‘Return Of The Knights’ provided by Soundrangers, composer anonymous
Outro music ‘Under The Surface’ composed by Sebastian Morawietz
Sound effects provided by The Free Sound Project and Soundrangers.
Production mixed by Martin Odoni
Edited for podcast by Martin Harder
Special thanks to Robin Barlow, David Forester, Clare Speedie, Billy Hicks, Sue McPherson, Kieran O’Brien, Emma Venvell, Saijal Mistry and Andrew ‘Snowcat’ Kenny.
Part 2 of 4.
The fourth era of the Dungeon Of Deceit is imminent, and it is a time of change; the Dungeon is growing fast and far beyond its old boundaries, while some of the mightiest of its occupants, both light and dark, are coming into conflict. When old alliances are broken by treachery and greed, fresh alliances are formed as new protagonists emerge, until five distinct factions – four of them forces for evil and only one of them a force for good – take shape. Of these, it is the faction controlled by the sorceress Malice that takes the initiative. While the Dungeon Master, Treguard of Dunshelm, tries to remain impartial and above the conflicts raging in the Greater Game, the war leads to chaos, death, and a new dominant evil that he simply must range his forces against. Confusion is certain…
Treguard - Ruzl Odoni
Malice - Helen Becconsall
Pickle - Andy Marshall
Aedric (Lord Fear)/FatillaThe Hun - Martin Odoni
Morghanna/Mistress Goody(badwife) - Rosey Collins
Merlin - Matt Richings
Mogdred - Martin Harder
Hordriss the Confuser/Gumboil - Jake Collins
Skarkill - Ricky Temple
Sir Hugh de Wittless - Adam Hall
written by Martin Odoni.
Intro music ‘Return Of The Knights’ provided by Soundrangers, composer anonymous
Outro music ‘Under The Surface’ composed by Sebastian Morawietz
Sound effects provided by The Free Sound Project and Soundrangers.
Production mixed by Martin Odoni
Edited for podcast by Martin Harder
Special thanks to Robin Barlow, David Forester, Clare Speedie, Billy Hicks, Sue McPherson, Kieran O’Brien, Emma Venvell, Saijal Mistry and Andrew ‘Snowcat’ Kenny.
Part 1 of 4.
The fourth era of the Dungeon Of Deceit is imminent, and it is a time of change; the Dungeon is growing fast and far beyond its old boundaries, while some of the mightiest of its occupants, both light and dark, are coming into conflict. When old alliances are broken by treachery and greed, fresh alliances are formed as new protagonists emerge, until five distinct factions – four of them forces for evil and only one of them a force for good – take shape. Of these, it is the faction controlled by the sorceress Malice that takes the initiative.
While the Dungeon Master, Treguard of Dunshelm, tries to remain impartial and above the conflicts raging in the Greater Game, the war leads to chaos, death, and a new dominant evil that he simply must range his forces against.
Confusion is certain…
Treguard - Ruzl Odoni
Malice - Helen Becconsall
Pickle - Andy Marshall
Aedric (Lord Fear)/Fatilla The Hun - Martin Odoni
Morghanna/Mistress Goody(badwife) - Rosey Collins
Merlin - Matt Richings
Mogdred - Martin Harder
Hordriss the Confuser/Gumboil - Jake Collins
Skarkill - Ricky Temple
Sir Hugh de Wittless - Adam Hall
written by Martin Odoni.
Intro music ‘Return Of The Knights’ provided by Soundrangers, composer anonymous
Outro music ‘Under The Surface’ composed by Sebastian Morawietz
Trailer music “Two Tribes: Surrender Mix” composed & performed by Frankie Goes To Hollywood.
Sound effects provided by The Free Sound Project and Soundrangers.
Production mixed by Martin Odoni
Edited for podcast by Martin Harder
Special thanks to Robin Barlow, David Forester, Clare Speedie, Billy Hicks, Sue McPherson, Kieran O’Brien, Emma Venvell, Saijal Mistry and Andrew ‘Snowcat’ Kenny.
A new Dungeon Master has been elected to the border keep of Dunshelm, and he has a very profound item on his starting agenda; reform. He plans to streamline the way that the castle is run. In particular, he wants to reduce the size of its staff and payroll budget. However, it does not take him long to discover that his agenda will face a lot of opposition from within the castle itself, and that includes opposition from officials who are well-placed to scupper his ideas.
Treguard Myatt - Russell “Ruzl” Odoni
Sir Hordriss T Appleby/Supporter 1 - Jake Collins
Bernard Folly - Andy Marshall
Majida/The Commentator/Supporter 2 - Helen Becconsall
Merlin - Matt Richings
The Descender - Rosey Collins
The Returning Officer/The Throne - Martin Odoni
Script written by Martin Odoni. Theme music (‘Chef Cisko’) composed by Jeanette Clement, and distributed by Productiontrax Other sound effects provided by Soundrangers and The Freesound Project Production mixed by Martin Odoni.
Yes, Dungeon Master takes ideas and situations from the Greater Game of Luck And Glory, and melds them with the ideas of Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, as seen in the BBC comedy series Yes, Minister (c) and its sequel Yes, Prime Minister (c).
Originally published 25/12/2007
As 2007 is the twentieth anniversary year of the Greater Game, we’ve put together a little comedy vignette. Part-based on the Greater Game, but really parodying the old History Today sketches by Newman And Baddiel from the early-90’s, we (not-altogether) proudly present KM-Today, a highbrow discussion of the most sophisticated intellectual rigour, stimulating critical fervour, and mature, in-depth, controversial analysis.
Oh yes, and lots of bum gags.
Small disclaimer: Let us stress that this is a very, very rough recording, and the mixing was a bit of a hack job, so please don’t expect too much from it.
Dr Bert Merlin - Martin Odoni
Professor FJ Hordriss - Ruzl Odoni
Production written and mixed by Martin Odoni
Theme music (‘Clairmount’) composed by Vincent Varco.
One of the scenes that was cut from an early draft of the script has been produced as a one-off sketch, originally released for Xmas/New Year 2015 – fitting, as it was the tenth anniversary year of recording the original play. The scene was removed because it was felt to be slowing the story down to little positive effect, but it has now been fully redrafted, extended, recorded and mixed as a separate audio file.
Whether the scene is considered ‘canon’ is entirely up to the listeners to decide for themselves; it is still the opinion of the writers that it was probably correct to remove it for the sake of keeping the play from getting bogged down. Whatever the ultimate view of that however, it is set in Part 3 of the play, immediately after the scene in which Merlin teaches Aedric the ‘THUNDARA’ spell.
The scene gives Dunshelm Players debuts to the characters of Olaf the Viking, Cedric the Mad Monk, and Golgarach the Wall Monster. Note that Mellisandre, who was in another scene in FFR, is also in the Missing Scene. Here she is performed by Amy Davies, whereas in the play itself she was played by Vivienne Traill.
Olaf - Ricky Temple
Mellisandre - Amy Davies
Motley - Ross Thompson
Cedric - Martin Harder
Golgarach - Jake Collins
Scriptwriters - Ricky Temple and Roz Pearson
Podcast Editor – Martin Harder
Trailer.
The fourth era of the Dungeon Of Deceit is imminent, and it is a time of change; the Dungeon is growing fast and far beyond its old boundaries, while some of the mightiest of its occupants, both light and dark, are coming into conflict. When old alliances are broken by treachery and greed, fresh alliances are formed as new protagonists emerge, until five distinct factions – four of them forces for evil and only one of them a force for good – take shape. Of these, it is the faction controlled by the sorceress Malice that takes the initiative.
While the Dungeon Master, Treguard of Dunshelm, tries to remain impartial and above the conflicts raging in the Greater Game, the war leads to chaos, death, and a new dominant evil that he simply must range his forces against.
Confusion is certain…
Treguard - Ruzl Odoni
Malice - Helen Becconsall
Pickle - Andy Marshall
Aedric (Lord Fear)/Fatilla The Hun - Martin Odoni
Morghanna/Mistress Goody(badwife) - Rosey Collins
Merlin - Matt Richings
Mogdred - Martin Harder
Hordriss the Confuser/Gumboil - Jake Collins
Skarkill - Ricky Temple
Sir Hugh de Wittless - Adam Hall
written by Martin Odoni.
Intro music ‘Return Of The Knights’ provided by Soundrangers, composer anonymous
Outro music ‘Under The Surface’ composed by Sebastian Morawietz
Trailer music “Two Tribes: Surrender Mix” composed & performed by Frankie Goes To Hollywood.
Sound effects provided by The Free Sound Project and Soundrangers
Production mixed by Martin Odoni
Podcast Editor- Martin Harder
Special thanks to Robin Barlow, David Forester, Clare Speedle, Billy Hicks, Sue McPhearson, Kieran O'Brien, Emma Venvell, Saijal Mistry and Andrew 'Snowcat' Kenny.
Season Finale
Links between the Twentieth Century and the era of the Dungeon have been dormant for several years, but the civil war between ‘The Powers-That-Be’ and ‘The Opposition’ continues. Caught between the two forces in the conflict are the Grey Sisterhood, now resident in the new colony of Ambrohame.
Desperate to renew her people’s dwindling powers, the Witch Queen Greystagg sends an emissary, Heggatty, to seek out new sources of witch amber. During her mission, Heggatty is attacked by the Opposition, and needs Treguard and Stiletta to come to her aid.
Caught in a situation where combat is impossible, Treguard and his mortal enemy, Lord Fear, must each battle with words to induce terror in the other to decide the fate of the Grey Sisters… with the balance of the entire war resting on the outcome.
Treguard - Ruzl Odoni
Stiletta/Salvania - Eleanor Booth-Davey
Lord Fear/Honesty Bartram - Martin Odoni
Majida/Heggatty - Sue McPherson
Skarkill/Merlin - Alec Downs
Elita/Greystagg - Clare Speedie
Lady Brinkatore/Mellisandre - Vivienne Traill
Scriptwriters - Martin Odoni & Ricky Temple
Production Supervisor - Neal Sawyer
Director & Post-Production Editor (CD release) - Andrew Kenny
Post-Production Editor (MP3 release) - Martin Odoni
Podcast Editor – Martin Harder
Title music (Hidden) - Matthew Oates
Incidental & credit music (Celestial Embrace) - Soundrangers
Other incidental music - Royaltyfreemusic/Productiontrax.com
Part 4 of 5.
Links between the Twentieth Century and the era of the Dungeon have been dormant for several years, but the civil war between ‘The Powers-That-Be’ and ‘The Opposition’ continues. Caught between the two forces in the conflict are the Grey Sisterhood, now resident in the new colony of Ambrohame.
Desperate to renew her people’s dwindling powers, the Witch Queen Greystagg sends an emissary, Heggatty, to seek out new sources of witch amber. During her mission, Heggatty is attacked by the Opposition, and needs Treguard and Stiletta to come to her aid.
Caught in a situation where combat is impossible, Treguard and his mortal enemy, Lord Fear, must each battle with words to induce terror in the other to decide the fate of the Grey Sisters… with the balance of the entire war resting on the outcome.
Treguard - Ruzl Odoni
Stiletta/Salvania - Eleanor Booth-Davey
Lord Fear/Honesty Bartram - Martin Odoni
Majida/Heggatty - Sue McPherson
Skarkill/Merlin - Alec Downs
Elita/Greystagg - Clare Speedie
Lady Brinkatore/Mellisandre - Vivienne Traill
Scriptwriters - Martin Odoni & Ricky Temple
Production Supervisor - Neal Sawyer
Director & Post-Production Editor (CD release) - Andrew Kenny
Post-Production Editor (MP3 release) - Martin Odoni
Podcast Editor – Martin Harder
Title music (Hidden) - Matthew Oates
Incidental & credit music (Celestial Embrace) - Soundrangers
Other incidental music - Royaltyfreemusic/Productiontrax.com
Part 3 of 5.
Links between the Twentieth Century and the era of the Dungeon have been dormant for several years, but the civil war between ‘The Powers-That-Be’ and ‘The Opposition’ continues. Caught between the two forces in the conflict are the Grey Sisterhood, now resident in the new colony of Ambrohame.
Desperate to renew her people’s dwindling powers, the Witch Queen Greystagg sends an emissary, Heggatty, to seek out new sources of witch amber. During her mission, Heggatty is attacked by the Opposition, and needs Treguard and Stiletta to come to her aid.
Caught in a situation where combat is impossible, Treguard and his mortal enemy, Lord Fear, must each battle with words to induce terror in the other to decide the fate of the Grey Sisters… with the balance of the entire war resting on the outcome.
Treguard - Ruzl Odoni
Stiletta/Salvania - Eleanor Booth-Davey
Lord Fear/Honesty Bartram - Martin Odoni
Majida/Heggatty - Sue McPherson
Skarkill/Merlin - Alec Downs
Elita/Greystagg - Clare Speedie
Lady Brinkatore/Mellisandre - Vivienne Traill
Scriptwriters - Martin Odoni & Ricky Temple
Production Supervisor - Neal Sawyer
Director & Post-Production Editor (CD release) - Andrew Kenny
Post-Production Editor (MP3 release) - Martin Odoni
Podcast Editor – Martin Harder
Title music (Hidden) - Matthew Oates
Incidental & credit music (Celestial Embrace) - Soundrangers
Other incidental music - Royaltyfreemusic/Productiontrax.com
Part 2 of 5.
Links between the Twentieth Century and the era of the Dungeon have been dormant for several years, but the civil war between ‘The Powers-That-Be’ and ‘The Opposition’ continues. Caught between the two forces in the conflict are the Grey Sisterhood, now resident in the new colony of Ambrohame.
Desperate to renew her people’s dwindling powers, the Witch Queen Greystagg sends an emissary, Heggatty, to seek out new sources of witch amber. During her mission, Heggatty is attacked by the Opposition, and needs Treguard and Stiletta to come to her aid.
Caught in a situation where combat is impossible, Treguard and his mortal enemy, Lord Fear, must each battle with words to induce terror in the other to decide the fate of the Grey Sisters… with the balance of the entire war resting on the outcome.
Treguard - Ruzl Odoni
Stiletta/Salvania - Eleanor Booth-Davey
Lord Fear/Honesty Bartram - Martin Odoni
Majida/Heggatty - Sue McPherson
Skarkill/Merlin - Alec Downs
Elita/Greystagg - Clare Speedie
Lady Brinkatore/Mellisandre - Vivienne Traill
Scriptwriters - Martin Odoni & Ricky Temple
Production Supervisor - Neal Sawyer
Director & Post-Production Editor (CD release) - Andrew Kenny
Post-Production Editor (MP3 release) - Martin Odoni
Podcast Editor – Martin Harder
Title music (Hidden) - Matthew Oates
Incidental & credit music (Celestial Embrace) - Soundrangers
Other incidental music - Royaltyfreemusic/Productiontrax.com
Links between the Twentieth Century and the era of the Dungeon have been dormant for several years, but the civil war between ‘The Powers-That-Be’ and ‘The Opposition’ continues. Caught between the two forces in the conflict are the Grey Sisterhood, now resident in the new colony of Ambrohame.
Desperate to renew her people’s dwindling powers, the Witch Queen Greystagg sends an emissary, Heggatty, to seek out new sources of witch amber. During her mission, Heggatty is attacked by the Opposition, and needs Treguard and Stiletta to come to her aid.
Caught in a situation where combat is impossible, Treguard and his mortal enemy, Lord Fear, must each battle with words to induce terror in the other to decide the fate of the Grey Sisters… with the balance of the entire war resting on the outcome.
Part 1 of 5.
Treguard - Ruzl Odoni
Stiletta/Salvania - Eleanor Booth-Davey
Lord Fear/Honesty Bartram - Martin Odoni
Majida/Heggatty - Sue McPherson
Skarkill/Merlin - Alec Downs
Elita/Greystagg - Clare Speedie
Lady Brinkatore/Mellisandre - Vivienne Traill
Scriptwriters - Martin Odoni & Ricky Temple
Production Supervisor - Neal Sawyer
Director & Post-Production Editor (CD release) - Andrew Kenny
Post-Production Editor (MP3 release) - Martin Odoni
Title music (Hidden) - Matthew Oates
Incidental & credit music (Celestial Embrace) - Soundrangers
Other incidental music - Royaltyfreemusic/Productiontrax.com
WELCOME to the home of the Dunshelm Players Podcast. Previously known as the KM-RAmDram team, we are a drama/storytelling group dedicated to reviving the profile of Knightmare, a classic TV gameshow created by Tim Child in the 1980s.
Knightmare was interactive fiction played out on television; a computer game in a chromakey studio, with the part of the game avatar being taken up by the image of a human contestant superimposed on the chambers of a computer-generated dungeon, a dark, deadly realm of magic and monsters. The series attracted audiences in excess of five million at its height.
The Dunshelm Players team was formed in 2005, then going by the rather clumsy title of KM-RAmDram (short for Knightmare Radio Amateur Dramatics), with the purpose of creating audio-based and prose-based media in tribute to the series. Our first project, a drama play titled Famous for Retreating, was published in the late Autumn of 2006.
Since then, the team has released a variety of projects, including dramas, comedies and written work, all free to listen to, and more are in development even as you read this.
For more information, please visit our website at https://dunshelmplayers.wordpress.com/
Let’s keep time turning, and the fire burning…