By Vanessa Hunt
Actor, director, and playwright John Goodrum is a beloved creator and well-known on and behind the stage. He founded the Rumpus Theatre Company, based in Derbyshire County, England, where he often works directing and starring in his shows. He has even served as a producer recently on his play The Masque of the Red Death, (https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/the-black-veil-pomegranate-the-18182).
Goodrum “has built a career creating mysterious plays full of terror and suspense” (https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/csnightmareroom), many of them based on stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In 2014, he took on the role of Sherlock Holmes in the play Sherlock Holmes: The Scandal of the Scarlet Woman (https://www.arthur-conan-doyle.com/index.php?title=John_Goodrum).
Also, he adapted The Nightmare Room from a story of the same name by Conan Doyle. When Goodrum stumbled across the original Conan Doyle story in Tales of Terror and Mystery he said, “I saw at once its potential as a basis for a contemporary thriller. After so many period plays, that was an exciting prospect” (https://www.wisconsingazette.com/tag/in-tandem-theatre/). The play changes the conflict of the story from two men to two women, and Goodrum also included flashbacks to help the narrative have greater dimension. When asked about the inclusion of these flashbacks, Goodrum replied, “My wife said, ‘You always write shadowy, dark scary plays. What about writing a light, bright scary play?’ That was the challenge, and the contrast between the intensely bright, starkly lit nightmare room, where nothing is what it seems, and the more mellow flashback scenes proved that this is possible” (https://www.wisconsingazette.com/tag/in-tandem-theatre/).
The Rumpus Theatre Company has produced a number of Goodrum’s plays, beginning in its season of inception in 1994. The theatre company was founded to produce Schubert Fountain, a work by Goodrum. Other original works and adaptations of Goodrum’s that have been produced by the Rumpus Theatre Company are The Signalman in 1997, Blood Relations in 1998, The Haunted House in 1999, The Pit and The Pendulum in 2000, Sorry, I Love You in 2001, The Black Veil in 2002, The Comedy of Terrors in 2003, The Judge’s House in 2004, The Nightmare Room in 2005, One Fling After Another in 2006, The Mystery of Edwin Drood in 2006, and numerous others, including The Masque of the Red Death in 2019. In 2007, Goodrum collaborated with his wife, Karen Henson, on their works Carry on Coward and Carry on in the Blackout, which were also produced at the Rumpus Theatre Company. During the COVID-19 pandemic as theatres faced closures, the Rumpus Theatre Company released a series of short radio teasers based on Goodrum’s play The Black Veil. Audiences could listen to three short episodes, or they could watch an abridged version of the production on YouTube. They also released a radio play on YouTube based on his stage production of The Pit and the Pendulum (http://www.rumpustheatrecompany.co.uk/current.html). It was a move that worked out well, allowing audiences to still safely experience his work in a time most theatres had to sit dark.
It is obvious that John Goodrum is a highly accomplished playwright whose talent spans adapting beloved and lesser-known classics along with his own original stories to modern audiences, delighting them with mystery, terror, and intrigue. Goodrum’s plays have been highly applauded, receiving praise from publications such as Derbyshire Times and British Theatre Guide. In 2018, the Slough Observer said of The Signalman production at the Rumpus Theatre Company, it is “the stuff of true storytelling. . . . a terrifying terrific night out” (http://www.rumpustheatrecompany.co.uk/past.html). Audiences and critics alike have shown high critical acclaim for Goodrum’s works.
Even in the genres of terror and mystery, Goodrum sometimes adds a bit of farce. For example, his play The Comedy of Terrors is a farce consisting of only two actors playing multiple characters. The plot isn’t easily summarized as “farces thrive on complications and this has complications aplenty coming out of its theatre storage chest” (http://flaneur.me.uk/01/a-comedy-of-terrors-at-greenwich-greenwichtheatr/). The show doesn’t take itself too seriously, showcasing Goodrum’s ability to delve into the comedic realm. “The script recognizes the absurdities with which it is laced, and mocks itself throughout,” http://flaneur.me.uk/01/a-comedy-of-terrors-at-greenwich-greenwichtheatr/). With Goodrum taking on the role of the male lead in some productions of the show, he is able to show off his versatility as an actor and a playwright.
The year 2021 will be another exciting one for the works of John Goodrum and the actor, playwright, and director himself. Goodrum will be taking the to the stage in the U.K. at the Pomegranate Theatre alongside his wife, Karen Henson. Together, they will be starring in The Live Bed Show (https://chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk/shows/autumn-play-season-live-bed-show.aspx#). Also, his play The Comedy of Terrors will entertain audiences of the Utah Shakespeare Festival in its upcoming season. It is sure to be memorable production for all who attend.
