There’s one every year that definitely fits into the headspace of Salem Horror Fest but just isn’t quite full on Horror. More in the realm of a Dark Fantasy for us at least, we’ll give Purgatory Jack from The Butler Brothers (Jason and Brett) a pass as it revolves around the place you go in between heaven and hell with a cast of characters who use blood as currency and switch out body parts with about the same frequency as one would get updates for an Iphone (Read: A LOT).
Regardless! It’s one helluva good time. The writing alone (Also by Brett Butler and Jason Butler) is worth sticking around for with some seriously killer dialogue throughout (Some choice quotes that you’ll have to hear in context from Jack to get: “Your Itch is premium scratch here, doll”, “Truth is a moving target in these parts”, “Tears, they’ll give you away”) and this rich mythology for a world that’s kind of post-apocalyptic but not. Cuz afterlife. All in all, think George Miller meets Douglas Adams (Dirk Gently very much comes to mind with this one).
Purgatory Jack‘s titular protagonist is played by none other than the fabulous Tim Rozon who knows a thing or two about Purgatory after a stint or two or three or four as Doc Holliday in Wynonna Earp (Which we STILL need to finish) and another kind of “purgatory” with Schitt’s Creek (Is Rozon the gatekeeper of multiversal Purgatory?!?!?). In this Purgatory, Jack’s the proprietor of Lost Souls, a sort of safe haven for new arrivals, and sort of the resident detective who’s a cross between J.J. Gittes and Jack Marlowe. When Viv Vacious (This world’s equivalent of a Lady Gaga or Madonna but way more Punk Rawk perfectly portrayed by Alexandra Beaton) arrives in Purgatory our story really begins with Jack acting as a guide to give Viv the lay of the land before setting off on an ill-advised adventure that’ll change everything for Jack, Viv, and the entire landscape of Purgatory.
Along the way, Jack will attempt to protect Viv from blood hungry biker gangs, one of which is led by the sword-wielding badass Flo (Emily Alatalo) with Joel Thomas Hynes’ “Plater” as her constantly scheming second and Letterkenny‘s own “Joint Boy” Joel Gagne as the muscle with more “Boogey”, cult members, a trio of body swapping girls (Or more appropriately “ghouls” “Page”, “Boop” and “Rubble” played with such whimsy respectively by Lexy Mitchell, Ruthie Nkut, and Mercedes Mazzuca), shady seniors, and so much more on top of an ending that you’ll never see coming.
Purgatory Jack stops by Salem Horror Fest on Saturday, May 4th at Hallowed Ground. For all the details on that and the rest of the Weekend II screenings, head here. For more on Purgatory Jack, follow the socials across the interwebs by heading here or here. And for more from Salem Horror Fest, including info on all the rest of the screenings and events happening, be sure to follow the socials by heading here, here, and here.