Review: “The Earth Moves” with Gideon Media
Mac Rogers delivers another frightening audio drama. This one positioned right in the middle of our reality: a world still dealing with the COVID-19 disaster. But what Rogers gives these characters to deal with is far more frightening than any of them could ever imagine.
In contrast with Roger’s big epic story “Give Me Away”, “The Earth Moves” is a much smaller story. The entire thing takes place over the airwaves of a radio talk show/podcast. The host, Brent Ziff (Abe Goldfarb) a politically “neutral” Joe Rogan type, receives a call from a fan named Leo Short (Brian Sillman), who tells him that there will be a tsunami that’s going to hit Seattle in a few minutes. Not believing him at first, the host hangs up and goes on with his show. But then he turns on the news and sees that the caller was right. The rest of the play follows the live broadcast of these two discussing what terrible disasters are on the way. Leo says that he can feel the Earth move and can predict disasters down to the minute. As more and more disasters start to happen over the call, Leo warns that it’s only the beginning of what could be the end of life as we know it.
The play is haunting in its believability. I don’t know if it’s because we are in the middle of our own global disaster or what, but the idea of all of these big natural disasters, aside from the prophetic predictions, plays out how I would imagine such an event to play out. This realism makes it terrifying to sit through but gripping nonetheless. Rogers does an incredible job building tension as Leo gives the host and the audience information little by little. You can do nothing but sit and wait for it all to take hold of you. Much like the characters in the play.
Despite what has been said about the play so far, there are also moments of humor that are well done as well. Especially in the early portions of the call Brent uses his snarky-ness to make fun of and dismiss Leo. The reveal about how Leo feels the Earth and the host’s reaction to this is also very funny. As the show goes on, this humor is still used but as more of a safety. The host uses it to cling to any sense of control that he may have. Though, by the end, even he isn’t laughing at the jokes.
The performances by the two actors are very well done. Abe Goldfarb as Brent Ziff does the very difficult task of balancing the cockiness of a host that can say whatever they want and someone who finds himself desperate to keep living the life he was living. Listening to his panic is painful but very effective. Brian Sillman as Leo Short is very haunting in his prophetic speeches and warnings. The way he keeps calm through all of this is also very frightening.
“The Earth Moves” is another great audio play by Mac Rogers that takes a giant worldwide disaster and filters it through the lens of a radio show. Giving us a very small story that feels massive by the end.
“The Earth Moves” is an audio drama written by Mac Rogers and directed by Jordana Williams. It was presented by Gideon Media
It features Abe Goldfarb and Brian Silliman,
Sound designed by Cara Ehlenfeldt,
Music by Sean Williams
Produced by Sean Williams.