A few years ago now A steampunk group in Gloucester decided to do a themed event, with the mildly preposterous title, Steampunks vs Cthulhu. As their, not exactly, local expert I was asked for suggestions for things they could do and if I would volunteer to do anything for the event. And so I agreed to do a talk on the life and work of HP Lovecraft, having recently finished a book on old tentacle hugger’s works. I also suggesting, in an entirely off hand way, that they could put on the second act of ‘The King in Yellow’.

This was of course a joke on my part. However, if you are unaware of why it was a joke, let me explain. The King in Yellow is the fictional play, in the novella The King in Yellow by Robert W Chambers. The second act of which is cursed in that it send any one watching it, or performing it, insane.

Matt, who was planning the event, and I knew full well had a copy of The King in Yellow, and very much was aware of the joke said. “Great idea, write it…”

I gave him ‘the look’. The look that says, ‘sure I’ll get right on that sometime never…’ But then Nimue Brown, who normally wrote silly little plays for such events said. “I don’t know about The King in Yellow, but I would be up for being a Drag King in Yellow’… At which point Jessica Law piped up, ‘oh can I be a Drag King in Yellow too…’

This left me somewhat boxed into a corner by my ‘cleverness’.

Several months later, a small Gloucester amateur dramatics group did indeed put on a one act, twenty minute, play called ‘The Drag King in Yellow’* . As far as I am aware no one was sent mad, or at least madder…

*There is a video of the play being performed available here on You Tube, consider yourself prewarned. It is also available as a manuscript Here , but you would be mad to buy it. It only exists in paperback because I wanted to gift the cast with them.

The Drag King in Yellow is my only foray into the world of amateur Dramatics, for which the world of amateur dramatics is most grateful one suspects. Theater is not my world. I may like to take in a play every now and again but my knowledge of the theater is far form encyclopedic, this last is unfortunate only in that having just read The Masque of The Mummers I can’t help but feel I missed a few theatrical jokes. However, that in no way detracted from the joy of the novel.

Ben Sawyer is a writer well versed in theater, the love of theater, and I suspect some experience of amateur dramatics, informed one of the two main branches of the plot of this, his third Holly Trinity Novel. In the midst of York’s medieval festival A local Am-Dam is staging an old, and reputedly cursed play. The curse is real and enacted by ‘the mummers’ strange ghosts in period theater wear and blank featureless faces. Somehow more terrifyingly they communicate exclusively with lines from the plays of Pinter, Greene, Bennet and others.

There are other threats to the old city as well, the big bad is stirring, and the truths behind Holly herself are waiting to be revealed, while the supporting cast is as ever deeply entwined. Mira’s ex is back in town with his spirited wheelchair bound sister. His best mate is getting he band back together, which is good because the current lead singer thinks he is a Viking. Meanwhile a reporter has got his hands on an arcane artifact that gives him the powers he shouldn’t have.

Holly Trinity is awake, which never bodes well for the old city. Armageddon may be round the corner. But at least she gets to go to the theater.

This is a joyous romp of a novel as all Bens novels tend to be. As ever the city of York is as much a character in the novel as a setting. Ben writes of the city with a vibrancy that gives it life. Much like his other characters, which have the same depth and layers as his plots.

If you haven’t read his previous novels you should. If you have you will not need me to convince you to read this one.

Aside the Holly books Ben also writes stories for the Harvey Duckman Anthologies, which as you may be aware I am also associated with. they have a new book of dark pagan stories available for preorder on kindle, that will be out in paperback and hardback from the 23rd of January It joins the six pervious ones below in the ever expanding range of Harvey anthologies.

While talking books, my own new anthology, which I should also mention is out on the 16th…