The Incredible Adventures of Jack Flanders
Encyclopedia
The Incredible Adventures of Jack Flanders is a radio drama
produced by the ZBS Foundation
and Meatball Fulton. It is the fourth of the Jack Flanders
adventure series.
, courtesy of "Venus Velvet" (a person unknown to Jack). Falling asleep in this armchair draws Jack into a sometimes amusing, sometimes nightmarish dream world populated by sky pirates crewing winged sailing ships, winged reptilian "fromborks", mad sorcerers dueling in mechanical demons, tap dancing marsh wizards who assist Jack in his negotiations with the Lords of Death and more. The nominal plot line concerns the fact that Jack unintentionally causes a mustache to appear on the lip of the Black Mona Lisa, a particularly vicious pirate originally from Philadelphia; the problem first appears when he looks at her image on her Wanted posters, although the effect extends to the Pirate Queen herself when Jack meets her. Jack must travel "beyond the Never Mind" in order to discover who did send him the green velvet chair, and why.
adventures, as Return to Inverness
is to The Fourth Tower of Inverness
, although it does include characters from them, such as Mojo Sam, Doctor Mazoola and Little Frieda. It is also rather different from its predecessors, both in structure and content, as it lacks any significant reference to Eastern philosophy and religions, and it was designed to be broadcast in half-hour episodes rather than shorter episodes. The final episode features an extended series of 'clips' from The Fourth Tower of Inverness
as each character is seen 'dreaming' previous adventures. Overall, it has a faster paced and more straightforward storyline.
Jack recognizes some characters from The Fourth Tower of Inverness
and Moon Over Morocco
, but not others. Little Frieda and Doctor Mazoola are well disposed towards him, but there is no recognition on either side. When Jack first sees her, he remarks on a strange 'little girl' that appears on the ship and they introduce themselves to each other. In contrast, Jack greets Old Far-Seeing Art as an old acquaintance, and refers to their meeting one another at Inverness.
There is a running joke concerning the Mona Lisa and in particular the artist Marcel Duchamp
- famous for painting a parody of the Mona Lisa with a mustache and goatee. After Jack first encounters a Wanted poster
for the sky pirate The Black Mona Lisa and causes a mustache to appear on her image as a result, he tries to hide his own identity by using the pseudonym of Marcel Duchamp
. Later he and the Marquis of Carumbus are busking in the realm of the 'Never Mind' and the Marquis introduces Jack's act as Nude Descending a Staircase, another work by Marcel Duchamp
.
Produced at the ZBS Studios, Fort Edward, NY
Marquis of Carambus: "Oh yes, I was just poling through these slimy marshes praying that some buffoon like you would pop into my punt."
Jack: "I just keep acting like everything is real?"
Marquis of Carumbus: "Yes. Just like in real life."
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
produced by the ZBS Foundation
ZBS Foundation
ZBS Foundation, a small non-profit audio production company, was founded by Thomas Lopez in 1970 with a grant from Robert E. Durand as a working commune based on a donated farm in Upstate New York...
and Meatball Fulton. It is the fourth of the Jack Flanders
Jack Flanders
Jack Flanders is the protagonist of a series of audio dramas produced by the ZBS Foundation. He is the creation of writer and sound artist Thomas Lopez and is played by actor Robert Lorick....
adventure series.
Plot
The series begins with the unexpected late-night delivery of an overstuffed green velvet armchair to Jack FlandersJack Flanders
Jack Flanders is the protagonist of a series of audio dramas produced by the ZBS Foundation. He is the creation of writer and sound artist Thomas Lopez and is played by actor Robert Lorick....
, courtesy of "Venus Velvet" (a person unknown to Jack). Falling asleep in this armchair draws Jack into a sometimes amusing, sometimes nightmarish dream world populated by sky pirates crewing winged sailing ships, winged reptilian "fromborks", mad sorcerers dueling in mechanical demons, tap dancing marsh wizards who assist Jack in his negotiations with the Lords of Death and more. The nominal plot line concerns the fact that Jack unintentionally causes a mustache to appear on the lip of the Black Mona Lisa, a particularly vicious pirate originally from Philadelphia; the problem first appears when he looks at her image on her Wanted posters, although the effect extends to the Pirate Queen herself when Jack meets her. Jack must travel "beyond the Never Mind" in order to discover who did send him the green velvet chair, and why.
Analysis
The Incredible Adventures of Jack Flanders is not a direct sequel to the preceding Jack FlandersJack Flanders
Jack Flanders is the protagonist of a series of audio dramas produced by the ZBS Foundation. He is the creation of writer and sound artist Thomas Lopez and is played by actor Robert Lorick....
adventures, as Return to Inverness
Return to Inverness
Return to Inverness is a 2000 radio drama, the twelfth in ZBS's Jack Flanders series. The serial was written and directed by Meatball Fulton, as a sequel to The Fourth Tower of Inverness, the first in the series.-Plot:...
is to The Fourth Tower of Inverness
The Fourth Tower of Inverness
The Fourth Tower of Inverness is a 1972 radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the first of the Jack Flanders adventure series, and combines elements of Americana and Old-time radio with metaphysical concepts such as past life regression, Sufi wisdom, Tibetan Buddhism and shamanistic...
, although it does include characters from them, such as Mojo Sam, Doctor Mazoola and Little Frieda. It is also rather different from its predecessors, both in structure and content, as it lacks any significant reference to Eastern philosophy and religions, and it was designed to be broadcast in half-hour episodes rather than shorter episodes. The final episode features an extended series of 'clips' from The Fourth Tower of Inverness
The Fourth Tower of Inverness
The Fourth Tower of Inverness is a 1972 radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the first of the Jack Flanders adventure series, and combines elements of Americana and Old-time radio with metaphysical concepts such as past life regression, Sufi wisdom, Tibetan Buddhism and shamanistic...
as each character is seen 'dreaming' previous adventures. Overall, it has a faster paced and more straightforward storyline.
Jack recognizes some characters from The Fourth Tower of Inverness
The Fourth Tower of Inverness
The Fourth Tower of Inverness is a 1972 radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the first of the Jack Flanders adventure series, and combines elements of Americana and Old-time radio with metaphysical concepts such as past life regression, Sufi wisdom, Tibetan Buddhism and shamanistic...
and Moon Over Morocco
Moon Over Morocco
Moon Over Morocco is a 1974 radio drama, the second in ZBS's Jack Flanders series. Originally broadcast as fifty twelve-minute episodes, the serial was written and directed by Meatball Fulton.-Synopsis:...
, but not others. Little Frieda and Doctor Mazoola are well disposed towards him, but there is no recognition on either side. When Jack first sees her, he remarks on a strange 'little girl' that appears on the ship and they introduce themselves to each other. In contrast, Jack greets Old Far-Seeing Art as an old acquaintance, and refers to their meeting one another at Inverness.
There is a running joke concerning the Mona Lisa and in particular the artist Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp was a French artist whose work is most often associated with the Dadaist and Surrealist movements. Considered by some to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century, Duchamp's output influenced the development of post-World War I Western art...
- famous for painting a parody of the Mona Lisa with a mustache and goatee. After Jack first encounters a Wanted poster
Wanted poster
A wanted poster is a poster distributed to let the public know of an alleged criminal whom authorities wish to apprehend. They will generally include either a picture of the alleged criminal when a photograph is available, or of a facial composite image produced by a police artist...
for the sky pirate The Black Mona Lisa and causes a mustache to appear on her image as a result, he tries to hide his own identity by using the pseudonym of Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp was a French artist whose work is most often associated with the Dadaist and Surrealist movements. Considered by some to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century, Duchamp's output influenced the development of post-World War I Western art...
. Later he and the Marquis of Carumbus are busking in the realm of the 'Never Mind' and the Marquis introduces Jack's act as Nude Descending a Staircase, another work by Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp was a French artist whose work is most often associated with the Dadaist and Surrealist movements. Considered by some to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century, Duchamp's output influenced the development of post-World War I Western art...
.
Credits
- Jack FlandersJack FlandersJack Flanders is the protagonist of a series of audio dramas produced by the ZBS Foundation. He is the creation of writer and sound artist Thomas Lopez and is played by actor Robert Lorick....
- Robert LorickRobert LorickRobert Lorick is an actor and lyricist, best known as a Broadway lyricist and for his work portraying Jack Flanders, a character in an ongoing series of ZBS Foundation audio adventures. In 1972, he made his debut as a lyricist with the Off-Broadway musical Hark! at the Mercer-O'Casey Theatre... - Little Frieda - P.J. Orte
- Doctor Mazoola & Narrator - Dave Herman
- Captain Swallow - Owen MaGee
- Marquis of Carambus - John Wyn Evans
- Mojo Sam - Dave Adams
- The Pirate Queen - Cara Pitts
- Old Far-Seeing Art & Chief Wampum - Meatball Fulton
- Owl Eyes - Chris Henry
- Sorcerer - Paul Felzone
- Waitress - Jane Crawford
- Sailors & Pirates - Jim Lewis, Rogan English, Skip Penk, Neil Atkins, Don Chaplin, Marty Hughes, Richard Lepp & Bob.
- Written by Meatball Fulton
- Music by Tim Clark
Produced at the ZBS Studios, Fort Edward, NY
Quotes
Jack: "Were you expecting me?"Marquis of Carambus: "Oh yes, I was just poling through these slimy marshes praying that some buffoon like you would pop into my punt."
Jack: "I just keep acting like everything is real?"
Marquis of Carumbus: "Yes. Just like in real life."