House of the Gods

Act I

1916. The Halfway House pub. Jack, back from the front and disillusioned, is down on his luck. After being cruelly beaten up by a gentleman who doesn't take too kindly to losing at one of his tricks, he is taken into the pub by Lily. She and Ma and Da try various methods to revive him, some more fanciful than others. Da wants the good old days of great warrior fighters back but Ma just wants to retire to a nice B&B in Aberystwyth. Ma reveals how she has managed to keep the business afloat for so long and states that she has sold the pub! In the cellar, Lily helps Uncle Crom with his scientific experiments "for rational philanthropy, science, peace and prosperity". Crom clearly has some power over Lily. She unwittingly shows Jack the laboratory specimen they are working on - which triggers him back into the nightmare world of the Western Front. Back in the bar, Ma and Da continue their argument, with Ma laying down the law. Meanwhile, Jack, in despair, tries to end it all. This awakens the Morrigu in Ma, the Celtic goddess of life, death and love. In a frenzy of lovemaking she takes Jack, quite literally, to the edge of death, only to apologise afterwards - her powers aren't quite what they used to be! Crom presents his vision to Da and a most exclusive audience with patriotic images and a rousing anthem "The Promised Land" . He is creating a drug that will turn every soldier into a super-warrior ready to "deliver" his new weapons of mass destruction. But he is missing one ingredient, which he expects to collect tomorrow, Samhain - All Soul's Day. Jack and Lily enter the cellar and Jack sees Lily become possessed by a mystic power and foretell a terrible future.

Act 2

Next day Ma brings in an apple tree - her tree of life . She yearns for an end to her and Da's immortality. Crom has agreed to "fix" the apples to achieve this so all Ma has to do now is trick Da into eating one! Jack wants Lily to leave but she resists. Gradually the truth about her birth and the real identity of Ma and Da are revealed. Downstairs Lily gets back to work. She and Jack are drawn to each other but hide when Crom and Da enter with a large cauldron. Crom tempts Da to eat the forbidden apples. Jack starts to hallucinate again. He sees Lily as the Angel of Death and wonders if he can really trust her. Midnight approaches. Crom is completing his preparations. Da enters eating the forbidden apple followed by Ma. Lily climbs into the cauldron - suddenly the penny drops. It is clear to Da what Crom's missing ingredient is..... he needs the blood of a willing sacrifice…