Dark Adventure Radio Theatre Presents: H.P. Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth.

Robert Olmstead (never named in the story, but the name comes from Lovecraft's notes) is on a historical tour of New England.  His journey takes him near to a small town called Innsmouth, a place of such dark reputation, that the young man determines to investigate for himself.  His inquiries in nearby towns reveal that Innsmouth is noteworthy for strange gold artifacts, such as a golden tiara built for an impossibly oval shaped head, and for the fact that they bring in an abundance of fish, despite the scarcity in local waters, and they are characterized by "The Innsmouth Look" a strange communal cast of features, including receding chins, sloping foreheads, small flat noses and ears, and large, wide set staring eyes.

The history tells of Obed Marsh, a South Seas captain, who brought wealth to Innsmouth with the strange shipments of gold, shaped as if by inhuman hands, depicting beings with elements of both fish and frogs to them.  But he also brought a strange religion with him, one that had a responsive god who rewarded sacrifice.  The Esoteric Order of Dagon established a beachhead on the Atlantic shore, and the wealth of Innsmouth was assured.

But it came at a cost.  Foreign brides, strange disappearances, and children born who grew into that peculiar cast of features called "The Innsmouth Look." The town decayed.

Olmstead made his way to the town by the only means available; a rattletrap bus.  Once there, he found the people uniquely unhelpful, and anyone who was polite was notable as being an outsider.  Much of the town stood empty and decaying, but still, our hero could feel things moving behind those blank windows.

Finally he found the font of wisdom he wished, in the 90 year old Zadok Allen.  For the price of a quart of whiskey, he loosened the ancient locals tongue and heard firsthand the fall of Innsmouth to the dark shadow that accompanied the gold and fish Obed Marsh brought the city.  How the fishy looking folk just grew stranger looking with age, and of horrid things that waited out on Devil's Reef.
But now he has heard too much, and when he is informed the bus is broken, he knows he will spend the night in Innsmouth...but with what consequences?

This audio production is an adaptation of the celebrated story.  There are certain liberties they took with the story line, such as naming the narrator, and adding the FBI Agent to whom he confesses.
This production is done by the same folks who do the H.P.Lovecraft Historical Society.  Listening to their productions takes you back to 1931, when the story was written.  They are presented in Mythophone, the audio equivalent of Mythoscope, using antique equipment and techniques whenever possible.  This is the difference between commercial exercises, and labors of love, and the quality shows.

So listen as our hero navigates the fish-stained streets of beshadowed Innsmouth. It'll scare you.

Like Obed Marsh, this review is Lean-N-Mean at 500 words.

The Master of the Macabre: H. P. Lovecraft

Pickman's Muse
Beyond the Wall of Sleep
Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: The Dunwich Horror.
Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: The Shadow Over Innsmouth
Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: At the Mountains of Madness
H.P. Lovecraft Collection III: Out of Mind
H.P. Lovecraft Collection I: Cool Air
Dagon
Die Monster Die!
The Dunwich Horror
From Beyond
C'thulhu
H.P. Lovecraft's Haunt of Horror
The Call of C'Thulhu  (A Masterpiece!)
Dreams in the Witch House

Inspired by the Master's Hand:

The Courtyard by Alan Moore
Hellboy
The Mist
In the Mouth of Madness
Cloverfield

Recommended: Yes