Introduction for the Performer:
"The Whistle of Shadows" is a performance piece designed to evoke the eerie and unsettling atmosphere of classic supernatural stories, drawing inspiration from the vintage horror tradition. The effect focuses on building psychological tension through storytelling, careful pacing, and atmospheric props.
At the heart of this performance is the whistle—an object that calls forth an unseen presence, leaving its mark on one or more participants. The accompanying notebook serves as a vehicle for creating an impossible connection between the whistle and a mysterious sigil, chosen seemingly at random but eerily predicted in advance.
This piece has been designed with simplicity in mind, utilizing minimal gimmicks and easy-to-find props, such as a (homemade Svengli pad-style notebook and a pre-drawn sigil, while keeping the performance focused on building suspense and engaging the audience's imagination. The intent is to leave spectators with a lingering sense of unease, believing that they have witnessed something truly supernatural.
The carefully timed whistle blow (shock value) and the use of audience members as active participants create a powerful sense of engagement. The success of this performance relies on your ability to craft an atmosphere of dread and anticipation. With the right delivery, "The Whistle of Shadows" will captivate your audience and leave them questioning what they've just experienced.
Requirements for "The Whistle of Shadows":
Props Needed:
An aged whistle stored in an envelope, purchased from an old antique shop (or any old-looking whistle).
An aged small aged notebook (That opens from the top and made into a Svengali Pad), where alternating pages contain different symbols, and the shorter pages repeat the same eerie sigil (e.g., a simple, abstract hand shape or any other creepy symbol - see the image at the bottom of the script).
An old (aged) parchment envelope containing a card with the same sigil as in the notebook.
Two audience members:
One to select a sigil from the notebook.
One to find the envelope under their chair.
Setup:
The shorter Svengali Pad pages in the notebook should contain the same pre-drawn sigil.
The full-length pages in the notebook should contain different, eerie symbols.
An envelope with the matching sigil should be hidden and taped under a second spectator’s chair.
Full Performance Script:
(The performer steps forward, standing in silence for a few moments, slowly surveying the audience.)
“I want to tell you a very strange story...”
“About a whistle, an ordinary object to the untrained eye, but one that carries a history far darker than you could imagine. I stumbled upon it in the most unremarkable of places... an old antique shop tucked away, hidden from the world, in the shadows of a forgotten street in Liverpool.”
“The shop itself was like something out of another time, as though it had existed forever. Dust clung to everything, the air thick with an uncomfortable stillness. The shelves were packed with relics, old books, trinkets, things whose owners were long since gone... But it was the whistle that called to me.”
(The performer holds the whistle up slowly, almost reverently.)
“It was placed on a high shelf, hidden among old candlesticks and broken clocks. And as I reached for it, the shopkeeper... he seemed to appear from nowhere. His hand shot out, grabbing mine before I could touch it.”
‘That’s not for you,’ he said. ‘It belonged to someone who didn’t know when to stop... who didn’t listen to warnings. And now... it carries something with it. Something that doesn’t let go.’
“I should have left it there. But there’s something about curiosity, isn’t there? It pulls at you, whispers in your ear, makes you do things you know you shouldn’t. So, I bought it.”
(Pause for dramatic effect.)
“That night, when I brought it home, I thought about the old man’s warning. But how could I resist? I blew the whistle, just once, like this...”
(The performer mimics blowing but doesn’t actually do it yet.)
“At first, nothing happened. The air was still, quiet, too quiet. But then... then I felt it. Like someone was standing behind me. Watching. Just out of sight. And ever since then, I’ve known... this whistle calls something. Something you can’t see... but you can feel. And once it’s called, it doesn’t leave until it’s left its mark.”
(Pause again. The silence stretches, building tension.)
“Tonight, I’m going to blow the whistle again, and we’ll see if it answers. But if it does... it will leave a sign. A mark that you’ll never forget.”
(The performer holds the whistle up, ready to blow it.)
“Stay still. Don’t move. Just listen... and wait.”
The Whistle and the Jump Moment:
(The performer waits for several seconds and then suddenly blows the whistle sharply—short, loud, and brisk—causing the audience to jump.)
(Pause for a moment, allowing the tension to sink in.)
“Did you feel it? The air... it’s changed. Something has answered, but it doesn’t show itself at first. No. Instead, it leaves its mark... On someone... or somewhere in this room.”
Introducing the Pad:
(The performer pulls out the notebook, holding it carefully.)
“Along with the whistle, I found this pad, tucked away in the bottom of the old box it came in. It’s filled with strange symbols. Symbols left by those who encountered the presence before us. Some say they protect, others say they warn. Either way, they’re a sign that something has been called.”
(The performer invites a spectator to the stage.)
“Please, come up here. I want you to take a look at these symbols. See how each one is different.”
(The performer casually flips through the full-length pages of the notebook SVENGALI STYLE, showing the audience different symbols.)
“Now, I’d like you to lift any page that speaks to you, any page that feels... right.”
(Demonstrate with the book facing toward you, i.e. lifting UP on the page. Get the spectator to hold out their hand flat and palm up. The spectator naturally lifts one of the shorter Pad pages, revealing the pre-drawn sigil as previously demonstrated to them. Give them a short few seconds to take in the detail)
“You’ve chosen one. Hold it in your mind. This is the mark that’s been left for you.”
Tying the Sigil to the Whistle:
(The performer turns back to the audience.)
“You see, the whistle doesn’t just bring something into the room. It marks someone. And that symbol you just saw... that’s its mark.”
(The performer looks towards the 'general' area of the audience, where the chair with the envelope has been placed. Do this for a few brief seconds as if picking up vibes from that area before picking the individual who is sitting there.)
“Earlier on I asked (depending upon where you are performing) the Manager, Barman/Woman etc. to place an envelope under a chair, and I feel drawn to you, please check. It's there? Great! Take it out, but don’t open it just yet.”
(The second spectator retrieves the envelope.)
“Now, before you open it, let’s return to our first volunteer. Can you describe the symbol you saw in the notebook?”
(The first spectator describes the pre-drawn sigil. The sigil attached to this article A Rorschach image - looks like a hand, and the spectator should say something along those lines.)
“Thank you. Now, let’s see what the shadow has left for us.”
(The second spectator opens the envelope and pulls out the parchment, revealing the same sigil.)
“The mark was already there, long before we even blew the whistle. The presence... was waiting.”
Ending and Silent Conclusion:
(The performer slowly seals the whistle back into its envelope, being careful as if handling something dangerous.)
“The whistle is silent now. But that doesn’t mean the mark has gone. Sometimes, it lingers, unseen... following.”
(Pause for a moment, letting the eerie silence linger.)
“Let’s hope it stays behind... and doesn’t follow us home.”
Performance Ends
(Use this image, draw to scale on the short, alternate pages of the homemade Svengali pad)
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