Whenever a thing is done for the first time, it releases a little Demon.
-Emily Dickinson

There are unrelenting parallels between the early works of American Gothic Thrillers / Horrors and the dark survival narratives within American Primeval.
Early novels and poems of the sub-genre heavily feature discussions of morality, philosophy, and religion, with the evil villains most often acting as metaphors for some sort of human temptation - greed, land lust - that the anti-hero must overcome. The story’s endings, however, are rarely peaceful. The true trademark of a gothic thriller is that the battle between humanity and forces of evil, often man-made, though sometimes supernatural, take place within an oppressive, inescapable and bleak landscape.

Poe’s short story ‘Descent into the Maelstrom’, (1841), is a story within a story focusing on man’s physical torture and terror of death in the face of nature’s hideous power.

Seen through this lens, with its focus on pure terror, utter despair, physical violence and acute psychological insight, American Primeval could be interpreted as a masterpiece of Western Gothic historical fiction. It’s a dangerously powerful exploration of how violent greed and erotic impulses can break through barriers of social and moral restraint.

The design of the show should mirror these themes: Darkness, honesty of materials, and a bleak, sculptural landscape that is All-powerful and fundamentally terrifying, albeit it stunning.

CLICK ON BOXES TO SEE DECKS