The War of The Worlds comes to London City on Saturday!
On 30th October 1938 long before television, CBS broadcast a radio version of The War of The Worlds.
On 30th October 1938 long before television, CBS broadcast a radio version of The War of The Worlds.
They mentioned several times at the start of the show that
it was a dramatisation.
The format of the show was that of a light music program,
constantly interrupted by reporters giving an account of the aliens progressive
invasion.
What the network had overlooked was that the
average radio listener to jump stations throughout the evening.
As the play continued, more and more people tuned in to the
War of The Worlds broadcast without realising it was a play. Furthermore the
radio broadcast had used real town names instead of fictitious ones, and one by
one each town fell into the hands of the Martians.
Panic ensued as whole towns, swept in waves of hysteria,
packed their possessions and fled to surrounding areas.
A suicide was reported as one woman said she would rather die than be
taken by the Martians. In another town there was a fatal stampede as residents
desperate to leave trampled each other.
The following morning CBS were forced to hold a press
conference to explain themselves and to apologize for the duress they had
subjected their listeners to.
Ultimately with such intense press coverage, this catapulted
the actor who has played the lead reporter, a young and unknown Orson Welles, into
super-stardom. Just three short years
later, he wrote, produced, directed and starred in Citizen Kane.
Join us in London
City
Our evening begins with a huge mass of luminous gas erupting from Mars and heading towards Earth.
Across two-hundred-million miles of void, invisibly hurtling towards us, is the first of the missiles that will bring so much calamity.
Be part of this show.
Come dressed however you like, but to be in the cast and to dance on the
stage, please wear turn of the century or steampunk clothing. Men in cloth caps and working clothes, ladies
in bustles or bonnets, or as maids.
Circa anytime between 1880 to 1940.
The event starts at 1pm SL Time (8pm UK)
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