During a time when the Gods of Hollywood fumble around for originality, it is whole heartedly refreshing (and inspiring) to see something like this created.

I witnessed the Viking Apocalypse Live, and I can’t wait for the next one!

Mythos Ragnarok is the creation of the immensely talented, multi faceted performer Ed Gamester – doing what none have dared to do before! Ed has merged the brutality and shock from the world of wrestling, with the enticing and alluring qualities of great story telling. The result? An unforgettably Epic show put on by Ed and his troupe… aka “The Guild”.

Before the show has even started your adrenaline is pumping. The low bass murmurs and ominous beats of a viking drum (and other nordic instruments) set the tone wonderfully. Combined with the worn and torn banners hanging over head, and a simple (yet undeniably effective) black squared stage in the middle, your mind starts racing in anticipation for what is to come. Are they actually about to slam each other onto this huge slab of wood..!? Oh yes they are. And then some!

The brutality and shock from the world of wrestling, with the enticing and alluring qualities of great story telling.

The story was driven excellently by The Guild, showing us that there is much more to wrestlers than just Irish Whips and Spears (although when the latter happens, holy hell does it get a reaction!).

The show begins as Ed (portraying Odin) steps out from one of four entrances. It is worth noting the use of multiple entrances adds a dynamic of excitement, as the audience searches for who or what will be next to emerge! Eyeing up each and every member of the audience (non-sexually) whilst stalking the stage with cat like grace and observation, ensures the whole audience is entirely enthralled right from the off.

There is brilliant chemistry between Richard and Ed, that has the audience invested throughout.

Richard plays Loki and performs with the charm and cheek any drama school graduate would aspire to achieve, when portraying this Prankster of the Gods. There is brilliant chemistry between Richard and Ed, that has the audience invested throughout. Richard and the rest of the cast are great comic actors, and would often have the audience erupting with laughter when they weren’t gasping in shock.

The action sequences are both shocking and fantastic. Seeing the shows protagonist get chokeslammed into the stage by a giant is something audiences are not used to seeing. Nor do audiences ever see the leading lady, dropkick the stories antagonist into the boards with an almighty crash! But they should. They have been missing out. The result has the audience interacting on a level that you do not get with plays. It was entirely original, and extremely encapsulating.

The relationship between performer and audience for this show was wonderfully unique […] Being experienced wrestlers meant [the cast] had an interaction with the audience that, once again, you do not get in plays.

The cast, all having a background in wrestling, would carry out the fight sequences with such force you were left stunned at how they remembered their lines after. Also being experienced wrestlers meant they had an interaction with the audience that, once again, you do not get in plays. The relationship between performer and audience for this show was wonderfully unique. Shouts and jeers were encouraged and often met with hilarious wit.

It is a wonder that the show went off without a hitch…considering the mountain of choreography that was behind all the action we saw. It was a testament not only to The Guild’s quality as individual performers but also as an ensemble.

During a time when the Gods of Hollywood fumble around for originality, it is whole heartedly refreshing (and inspiring) to see something like this created. A show that draws on key elements from different forms of entertainment, to create a great piece of story telling. Now how often do Viking apocolypses happen? Because I’m waiting for the next one…

By Charlie Rich