The REM Waking World's Podcast

Jacob Thorne has a dream while he's in the REM. Biden has become president of the United States of America. The White House door is about to hit Donald Trump's butt on his way out of office. Though closer to home, Jacob dreams of what is happening in his neck of the Waking World. His Dream Self, the ideal version of Jacob in every way, has swapped with him. Dream Jacob is living Real Jacob's life on Earth. Specifically, a country town in NSW, Australia. The tension is: Dream Jacob has made quite a few improvements to Real Jacob's way of living. When Clio tells Real Jacob this is not a dream but a view into what is actually happening in the Waking World, Jacob decides it is time to return to Earth. He must stop his Ideal Self from ruining his life. Clio hasn't been completely up front with Jacob. Returning to the Waking World is a complex and potentially dangerous choice. Will Jacob still want to gp back when he knows the truth? (Created during the Covid 19 crisis of 2020.) For more information visit:  www.remwakingworld.com

The evil Nothing is installing useless leaders, producing mindless dreams and attacking mortal insecurities to demotivate the entire Waking World. Amanda Thorne, formerly General Flaw - Nothing’s righthand, is strapped to a chair in Dr Jekylline Hiedi’s lab. Jekylline, also known as General Switch – labelled as such for her instability, targets the dreaded Eraser Beam, focusing its crosshairs directly on Amanda. The Eraser Beam obliterates characters by destroying their artistic form, turning them into words then particles then into…nothing. Amanda’s bungled attempt to capture a human, Jacob, and a muse, Clio, to be used by the Nothing, has caused great disappointment for her Master. She will try anything to wriggle her way out of hot water, including disclosing secrets and throwing her own family “under the bus”. Will Amanda, with her crocodile-like survival instinct, escape this predicament? Will Nothing taste a little victory? (Created during pandemic isolation in the Covid 19 crisis of 2020.) For more information visit:  www.remwakingworld.com

Mira, the master morph, and Toby, the dream child, begin their lessons on how to become a changeling - “The Ways of the Morph” – otherwise known as Empathy Training. Toby learns how to: “Read the Room”; simulate the feelings of others; sense the vibe of a place (Atmos-feeling); to gain emotional contagion; turn down his emotions; and to think about other creatures as a priority. Toby seems to be a talented student but what will be his first changeling form be?  Meanwhile, Alice – the original character from Wonderland, all grown up and now a tribal elder of the REM – reveals to Jacob how the evil Nothing has been corrupting dreams. The REM produces dream productions for the humans of the Waking World - like Virtual Reality movies. Jacob experiences a Dream Production in first person and is drained. He discovers firsthand Nothing’s goal for collective apathy in the Waking World. Alice hopes to recruit Jacob for the fight against Nothing. In the Odysseus system, Clio finds Jonah, Toby’s older brother, and they get a rather slippery surprise! For more information, visit: www.remwakingworld.com

As the cast takes a mid-season break - we have a competition to make a guest appearance on the next episode. Visit remwakingworld.com for competition details. Competition ends on the 15 August.

Still in the Faust System and unable to wake, Jacob’s integrity is gnawing at him. Ignored by Celu, he decides to return to the prison and save his friends in custody. When he arrives, they have already been freed by a mysterious saviour. Surrounded by escapees, Jacob finally meets his Muse, Clio Aeschylus. Though Clio can show Jacob how to get home, she has discovered a direct correlation between Nothing’s plan to destroy dreams and the enormous apathy in the Waking World. The ridiculousness of President Trump, Australia’s lack of focus with Covid19 and celebrities like Kanye West announcing their presidential candidacy are all directly related to what is happening in the REM. Clio discovers Jacob has been haplessly creating objects which could be become dangerous weapons in the wrong hands. Will Jacob finish what he started and save the Waking World from imminent despair – and the possibility of Kim Kardashian as the first lady - or will he disbelieve all and return to his boring little life? (Created during pandemic isolation in the Covid 19 crisis of 2020.) For more information visit:  www.remwakingworld.com

Jacob’s dream children reunite at home in the Alice system. Jonah has been working on the rescue mission to find his Dad and the kidnapped Dream Companies. He and his magical companion, Mira, the changeling, arrive home to give the family breaking news about the disappearance of their Dad. They discover, seven year old, Toby is home alone. Their mum, Amanda, and Clio have gone on a mission to the Odysseus system. Something in the house reminds Mira of the moment she first saw General Flaw, the evil Nothing’s righthand. She tells this transformational story to the boys. Who is General Flaw? Recorded via video conference from Newcastle, Lismore, Southern Highlands and the Northern Beaches - Australia. Take the time to listen and dream with your family! www.remwakingworld.com

Jacob, the human, and his dreamland companion, Celu, escape their prison in Faust with the help of their new human-made magic key. Celu takes them to a safe house in the Faust System, land of nightmares. The house is apparently owned by a lovely couple called the Macbeths, who are visiting Glamis. Jacob, a fan of William Shakespeare’s Scottish Tragedy, is unconvinced Isla and James Macbeth are anything other than poisonous villains. When Celu makes another useful discovery about human creators he suddenly leaves for a secret purpose. He warns Jacob not to wander around the neighbourhood. Though lockdown is over for the citizens of Faust, the nightmare realm isn’t known for being the safest of places. When Jacob sees three weird sisters across the street he can’t help but be tempted outside…but is it safe to go outside? Or will he catch a nightmare? (Created via video conferencing in four separate locations – during the Covid 19 crisis.) For more information visit:  www.remwakingworld.com

Clio Aeschylus, an Ancient Greek muse, wants to inspire the next generation of human artists. She thought she had this in Jacob Thorne, an aspiring Australian writer. Nonetheless, even with being faced with the time-frame possibilities of pandemic isolation, inspiring him is near impossible. The only thing provoking a reaction out of him these days is rage against world leadership. One morning Clio activates Google Chromecast to show Donald Trump talking about injecting disinfectant into Covid victims. Not only does she get the opposite of what she was expecting, a bizarre chain of events ensues, leading her to return to the dreamland and deliver bad news. REM Waking World (Just like in episode 1 - this installment was produced in remote isolation, with performers in various locations recording via video conferencing and mobile phone.)

Jacob Thorne, an Australian teacher in pandemic isolation, sleeps too much, dreams too much and finds himself trapped in a dreamland called the REM. Now within the dreamland, the fun is over and he is further isolated in a prison cell in Faust, the nightmare Realm. Add to this, he is starting to fade. How does one escape this strange world? REM Waking World

Trailer for the REM Waking World, created by Joshua Combes in ISO. A fantasy fiction podcast following the quest of Jacob Thorne who, while in pandemic social isolation, sleeps too much, dreams too much and then finds himself further isolated in a vast dream world, unable to escape. REM Waking World