An Excuse and a bit of drama

This week has rinsed me out more than I thought. The Day Job has challenged my patience to extremes. House Beast Millie developed a case of conjunctivitis, which had us running around to vets and organising weekend cover to get someone in to give her eyedrops. Have you ever given a cat eyedrops? It’s dramatic and potentially scarring.

Meanwhile, a side effect of trying to stay away from the news this week means I have a paucity of links for to Swipe at you. Therefore, I offer apologies and a little something from the archives.

2025 marks the tenth birthday of an audio drama that pal Clive and I put out when we were podcasting regularly (links to both the Speakeasy and the A-Z OF SFF are in the sidebar if you want to explore a bit), an attempt to expand the remit and try something different.

For reasons lost in the mists of time we decided to make an episode of a fictional 1930s horse opera—a cowboy comic in audible form featuring a whip-bearing protector of the plains and his Native American sidekick. We corralled a few friends and performed a script what I had wrote, then wrangled it into crude shape in GarageBand.

It’s not the most polished bit of radio you’ll ever hear. Performances veer from barely there to scenery-chewing, the mix is a bit weird and let’s be honest, our enthusiasm for recreating the spirit of the times makes it a bit tin-eared towards the sensitivities of the present day. Approach with caution if you’re easily offended.

However. It was a thing that we spent time, love and energy on and I’m still pretty fond of Whip Crackaway, janky edits, wobbly sound levels and all. It was fun to make and features a wonderful moment where due to casting constraints forcing us to double up on some roles, Clive was forced to flirt with himself.

So settle in, pour a glass of something warming, light up a Caversham and let the Speakeasy Players perform for you.

The Adventures Of Whip Crackaway And Honcho The Indian Boy

See you next Saturday, cowpokes.