People Who Live in Wax Houses by Julie Hoverson

19 Nocturne Boulevard, 29 November 2011

Another podcast from the fast-growing independent radio production sector, People Who Live in Wax Houses was an hommage to the Amicus horror films of the early 1970s, including The House That Dripped Blood (1970), Tales from the Crypt (1972), and Vault of Horror (1973). Each film comprised a series of short tales, each linked by a particular theme; they could be linked, but only tenuously. The films provided gainful employment for a variety of stars of the time, including Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, supported by a galaxy of talent from various generations (Richard Greene, Patrick Magee, Terry-Thomas, Joan Collins, Donald Sutherland and Tom Baker).

To disclose the plot of Julie Hoverson's work in too much detail would be to give the game away: suffice to say that it involves a waxworks, where the exhibirs include Marie Antoinette, Jack the Ripper and Dr, Crippen, which frequently assume a life of their own. The waxworks is a family business, handed down from generation to generation; when one member of the family tries to knock it down to build a night-club instead, he is summarily disposed of. Another story involves a brother and sister; the brother thinks the sister is schizophrenic and tries to have her committed; like the uncle, he meets an equally sticky end. Three "punks" terrorize and ultimately kill a lonely professor, in the belief that he is hiding cash amongst his ancient artefacts; they move on to the waxwork museum, where an unpleasant surprise awaits them.

The three stories come together in a satisfying climax, combining gore, marriage and retribution.

The cast, including Fiona Thrale, Anthony D. P. Mann, Chris Barnes, Will Watt and Shane McGovern as the ubiquitous police officer, thoroughly enjoyed themselves with their roles. Hoverson's script had some nice self-reflexive lines: at one point one character complained of only being able to utter the words in the script, rather than communicating his real feelings. There were distinct echoes of other classic horror films - The Mystery of the Wax Museum (1932), and House of Wax (the classic 1953 version, not the modern remake) - which invested the script with more suspense, as we wondered how the plot might deviate from these earlier works. The atmospheric music, forming an aural background throughout the dramatic action, gave an ominous quality to the proceedings.

I really enjoyed listening to People Who Live in Wax Houses, part of a series of "speculative, strange and supernatural tales" presented by Wheeality Productions. I shall certainly listen to more tales as soon as I can.