Choose-Your-Own-Adventure for the 18th Annual Edwardian Ball

There is something terribly special about our 2018 season, which is officially afoot! Not only will our Edwardian community don their finest and make magical merriment as always, but this time they are intertwined with our featured Gorey story as never before.

That wondrous tale is “The Raging Tide: or, The Black Doll’s Imbroglio,” Gorey’s sole effort at what modern denizens refer to as choose-your-own-adventure. Computer-savvy Edwardians spent the month of October voting for each twist in the tale, and in doing so they have decided the narrative to be scored and choreographed for an original stage performance at the Ball in January (SF) and February (LA).

In case you missed the fun, here is every twist and turn, recreated with love.

Our tale began with a small indiscretion…

And then Edwardians demanded that we go to page 6.

A feather duster! Our community was oh-so-tickled by the prospect of Naeelah going for Skrump with such a delicate thing! So page 10 was the next stop.

By this point, Edwardians were frightfully surprised, and so, indicating some shock, they chose page 12…

From there, Edwardians were certain that they did NOT need to be morally improved (no sir!), and so we went to page 16.

At this point, all but two Edwardians said, without hesitation, to get on with the story—and turn to page 24.

And then, it was the battle of TURNIPS V. PRUNES. Just slightly more Edwardians thought that turnips were delightful (or at least the least abhorrent), so off to page 22 for a communion over boiled turnips.

At this point, our intrepid voters insisted on persevering. And so we frolicked to this delightful page:

And then, the denouement! But of course nearly everyone wished for a preposterous conclusion. Our hearts swelled with pride.

With that, our tale is set for a theatrical rendition at the start of the new year. We look forward to an elegant and whimsical celebration of art, music, theatre, fashion, technology, circus, and the beloved creations of the late, great author and illustrator Edward Gorey.

Tickets for the 18th Annual Edwardian Ball Season are on sale here now.