Merely Roleplayers

A podcast where theatrical people play roleplaying games

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Crit Awards 2023 finalist

 

Nominated in 2 categories:

  • Best Storyline in an Actual Play

  • Best Non-Player Character (NPC): Ernie Bering

 

Merely Roleplayers is an improvised ensemble audiodrama - emphasis on the drama.

The compere sets the scene. Each player roleplays one of the main characters, improvising their dialogue and action. And at suitably dramatic moments, we roll dice, using tabletop roleplaying game rules to see whether things stay under the players’ control - or escalate out of it. That way no one knows where the story’s going next: not you, not the players, not even the compere.

We tell a lot of different stories, with one thing in common: we’re always chasing maximum drama.

 

Life’s a game. The world’s a stage. And we’re all merely roleplayers.

Where to start

Start with Act One. Any Act One.

Most of our productions are three to five episodes long, and they stand alone. Sometimes stories do tie in with each other, but if you pick up an Act One and follow through to Act Five, we’ll tell you a complete story with a beginning, middle and end.

Release schedule

Every other Tuesday, we release a Story Act, where the current production’s story continues.

On the Tuesdays in between, we release Backstage episodes that shed light on our characters and the roleplaying game rules we use to tell our stories.


Now playing in the Main House

In the Main House, we tell ongoing stories spanning multiple productions. Each production tells a complete story, but they share a setting, characters, and ongoing plots.

Vigil

Sherrydown, Brackshire: a picturesque English market town with a failing high street, a struggling council, and a no-doubt rich history that no one remembers. The Department of Omissions did its job keeping Sherrydown's wards strong and its fae community appeased. But the Department hasn't fared well under austerity. Now Sherrydown has to fend for itself. Power to the people...?

  • Roleplaying game system: Monster of the Week by Michael Sands.

  • Players: Chris Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged; Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky; and Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned. Compered by Matt Boothman.

Contains fantasy violence.

Turns out the good guys aren’t the only ones who can join forces and pool resources.

Now playing in the Studio

Between Main House productions, we head to the Studio, where we experiment with different formats, different roleplaying game systems, and different genres of story.

The Office Party

A team building exercise in 5 acts

Four Bureautopians embark on their first quest: to enhance their personal development with team building exercises in a faraway land.

  • Roleplaying game system: Quest by The Adventure Guild

  • Guide: Josh Yard

  • Players: Natalie Winter as Bess, the Invoker; Chris Starkey as Neville Flounder, the Spy; Strat as Jerome Picklepants, the Wizard; and Dave as Josh, the Magician


Press kit

PDF file with production information, including cast, crew and contact details.

Zip file containing podcast artwork, logotypes, and backstage photos.

Zip file containing ‘coming soon’ and ‘now playing’ trailers for Vigil. Includes .mp3 and .wav versions.