The Temple – The One Man Stage Adaptation – Based on H.P. Lovecraft’s Undersea Tale of Possession and Madness

The Temple

– The One Man Stage Adaptation –

Based on H.P. Lovecraft’s Undersea Tale of Possession and Madness

“Michael Sabbaton Submerges to Terror”

After previous successful tours of, Polaris, The Statement of Randolph Carter and, The Call of Cthulhu, Michael Sabbaton opens up his box of horror once more bringing a new, anniversary production of, The Temple to Buxton Festival Fringe. Another of H.P. Lovecraft’s classic chillers, The Temple will open for two nights only at The Drama Studio, Buxton Community School (VENUE 02a) on the 9^th and 10^th July at 7pm.

Adapted, devised and performed by Sabbaton himself, The Temple, which last set sail in 2014, is an epic of the horror/sci-fi genre. Originally written by Lovecraft in 1920, it predates contemporary stories such as Alien and Event Horizon but establishes familiar thematic lines. Featuring new material for this anniversary showing, this immersive production captivates with chilling performance and mesmerizing soundscape.

It is 1917. When a strange ivory, carved head comes into the possession of the commander of the

U-29, the boat becomes cursed as it is drawn into a spiralling descent of dissension and madness. Nightmares, weird feelings and visions of dead sailors begin to haunt the crew. An explosion permanently disables the U-boat’s ability to surface and as it is pulled to the depths by an uncharted, underwater current a demonic, siren song begins to drive the crew towards insanity and death.

Left alone with his crumbling ‘iron, German will’, the commander tries to resist the growing madness but as the U-29 finally reaches the sea bottom the source of the calling comes into view. Through the gloom, an ‘Atlantean’ temple reaches out. Finally unable to resist, he resides himself to his watery fate and as he grasps the airlock lever, gives himself to the deep. The submarine fills with water. The light of the temple breaks through. It’s beautiful…

Appealing to a cult audience across an expansive popular culture, Sabbaton brings this highly influential and sometimes forgotten writer to a wider theatre audience stating,

“In theatre, everything is action. Everything is now. Everything is imagination. For a character actor and Lovecraft’s work, I believe there is no greater stage”.

In Sabbaton’s atmospheric and intimate theatre, this character driven world carries the cerebral, terror of the self and the decisions that make us who we are.

Tickets go on sale in June at, Buxton Opera House/Buxton Fringe (£12/£10) www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk                                www.buxtonfringe.org.uk