Down Underdark - A new Australian Actual Play
Australian Comedy Actual Play “Down Underdark” Explores D&D Through a Different Cultural Lens
Adelaide-based creatives from Role to Cast are launching a new comedy Actual Play podcast, Down Underdark, bringing an Australian perspective to the globally popular world of fantasy roleplaying.
The series follows Australian wildlife documentary makers Myrtle Irwin (no relation), John ’Newt’ Newton, Andy Jenkins, & Lucky, who find themselves transported into a dangerous underground fantasy realm. They hope to become the first nature documentary team to film in Faerûn, where they must navigate strange creatures, unfamiliar ecosystems, and the challenge of surviving in a world far removed from their own.
From left to right: John ‘Newt’ Newton performed by Sean Flierl, Andy Jenkins performed by Chris Bond, Myrtle Irwin (no relation) performed by Ellen Graham, Lucky performed by Zola Allen
Blending improvised performance with long-form storytelling, Down Underdark draws on recognisable Australian archetypes and humour, while exploring themes of how we relate to the natural world—particularly the tension between fear and fascination when encountering dangerous environments.
“We were really excited by the idea of throwing a bunch of very recognisable Aussie battlers up against something much bigger than themselves,” the team said. “But also bringing in that perspective of wanting people to appreciate the wild and wonderful—even when it’s dangerous. In Australia, we’re used to the idea that the things that can hurt you are still worth protecting.”
The podcast is a prerecorded, in-studio production supported by funding from Create SA and the Role to Cast Patreon, and will release hour long episodes fortnightly, with at least 25 episodes planned.
Role to Cast has built an international audience through their award-winning work in the growing “actual play” podcast space, where performers use tabletop roleplaying games as a framework for improvised storytelling. The group received an ENNIE Award—one of the tabletop gaming industry’s highest honours—for their previous work.
Down Underdark is available on major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with additional content available via Patreon.
About Role to Cast
Role to Cast is an Adelaide-based collective of performers and storytellers creating podcasts using tabletop roleplaying games as a medium. Their work combines improvisation, narrative, and game design to create character-driven audio series for an international audience.
