The Frolic

The Frolic is one of the first stories i read by Thomas Ligotti and, after reading it, it stayed with me for days. It's an ambiguous tale of a presumed paedophile who denies his crimes. He doesn't abuse them, he takes them on a frolic through the, frankly disturbing, places he lives. He doesn't murder them, he frees them when the folic has to end. The whole cast is amazing but the standout performance is Maury Sterling - what an actor. He cycles through voices, personalities and moods with stunning speed. His English accent is perfect and especially creepy when the allusion to little "darlings" is decoded. The standout moment of Sterling's performance? The smile - you'll get it when you see it.