←Recommendations of Sensories

Unique and clever, this play sets itself up as the first episode of a series, I hope, for there is so much more to work with here.
Smell can be so evocative and Sam explores this avenue to great effect.

Do yourself a favour by listening to the great production by Gather by the Ghostlight Podcast!

This speculative horror short tugs furiously at the imagination and won't let up! Rich with subtle but specific worldbuilding, audiences are treated to a visit to a lab where a simple experiment reveals itself to be something more mysterious than it seems. There's no shortage of rich imagery to populate one's "theatre of the mind" as they place themselves in the protagonist's shoes. A haunting, nefarious twist leaves us with more questions than answers, hinting at a vast world beyond the story!

Heyman's SENSORIES plays with its protagonist's perception of her own memories and reality, while also playing with the audience's perception of the audio drama medium and what counts as "real" within its fictitious world. I found myself thinking about the science-fiction writer Alfred Bester, whose classic short stories (and radio plays) similarly played with his perceptions of readers and listeners.

A fascinating science-fiction idea, tinged with bits of horror! It's true- smells do have the power to transport me to other times and places, and it was great fun to see (hear) this notion explored dramatically. This story is a real gift for the senses, recently produced on the Gather by the Ghost Light podcast!

Is smell the most underrated sense? We associate so many moments in our lives with specific pieces of music, and we also possess eyes. But Heyman's sci-fi play reminds us just how evocative a memorable smell can be. It can be almost...transportive? A fun, scary mystery that plays with senses and memory delightfully. I love that this is an audio play particularly, commanding the audience to use one sense while thematically focusing on another heightens everything, and it's a real treat.

01.27.25 - I just watched a terrific production of this script on the Gather By The Ghost light You Tube channel. Although this works perfectly as a radio play, I was suitably impressed with the visuals inspired by the text. The idea of a study using sense memories of test subjects is fascinating and far-reaching. Because no one person has the same experience, the results can be infinitely different. And in the case of Sam Heyman's play, can be infinitely dangerous as well. Food for thought.

I used to say things like "It smells like 1987 in here!" And I sincerely meant it. I am one of those people that can be transported by aromatic stimuli. And that is what makes this play so eerie and disturbing to me. I really want to know what this lab is studying! A great episode for Theatrical Shenanigans!

We've all had those moments where a smell or taste transports us to a moment in time we've perhaps forgotten but lies hidden deep in our subconscious. Well, this short play will transport you for sure; the intrigue behind the piece feels very much like that grasping your mind does when searching for the memory your taste buds or olfactory system remembers, but you just. can't. put your finger on. Plenty of scope for development in this one. Nice. (Sept 23, 2024 - Caught the Theatrical Shenanigan's production)

I had the great privilege of producing this piece for Audio Drama Podcast Theatrical Shenanigans it was a fascinating piece to produce and I would wager would be just as fascinating to produce as a live piece of performance. A thrilling piece that draws in all the senses and mixes them up with the idea of memories and what inspires those memories. I won't say much more because you need to experience it for yourself!

For some, all it takes to go back to the past is a thyme machine. A savory and herbaceously seasoned roast holding the point on the map to that Sunday where tender tastes and feelings fell in line together with the sturdy feeling of knife and fork in hand.

Might this be the Sensories captured by Heyman in this his heyday?

A strong sense of sound and voice lead to a cumulative effect that can no doubt lead to its own mental markings.