No Return
No Return: An Audio Drama by Kier Zhou
No Return is what happens when you give one person too much coffee, a microphone, and a world that won’t stop expanding.
It’s a fantasy series about gods, worlds, mercenaries, lost cities, and bad decisions… but mostly it’s about people trying (and failing) to make sense of the mess they’re in. The tone swings from absurd to sincere, from divine slapstick to quiet tragedy. Sometimes all in the same episode.
If Discworld got tangled up with The Wheel of Time and accidentally wandered into a Tom Sharpe novel, you’d be somewhere close.
The stories jump around the same world, exploring different but intertwined characters, stories and genres.
It’s made on a potato powered laptop, by a guy who clearly doesn’t know when to stop.
If you like things that are funny, sad, overcomplicated, and occasionally, accidentally, profound… you’ll probably like No Return.
But don’t take my word for it…
This show was nominated for Best Audio Drama at the New Zealand Web Fest and officially selected for the Cisco Web Fest, which is pretty good for someone who ran out of money to apply to any more festivals!
Here’s what listeners are saying:
“A journey through a creative mind like no other… I cannot begin to imagine how this creator keeps all his characters and plot lines straight, but it’s a marvel.”
“The quality and sound production are absolutely on point, but it’s the captivating writing and voice acting that keep you coming back.”
“Chaotic [affectionate]. Each arc has something unique - sometimes gut-wrenchingly funny, sometimes grounded — it keeps you on your toes.”
Extra lore, behind-the-scenes chaos, and stray thoughts at:
No Return
10: Wide-End: I Shall Deliberate...
It. Gets. Real.
The part of Anzhlo was played by the magnificent Matt Evans
Lady Yvonna was played by the luminous Lauren Littlewood
Brucco was voiced by the charming Christian Maclean-Mair
Ysenda was acted by the ever graceful Gemma Maclean-Mair
Chura and The Domina were played by the accomplished Abbie Jordan-Tickle
Fuzhlo was played by the Dazling Dontae Majors
Turzhlo was played by the Daring Drew Hupfa B and, on occasion, Kier Zhou
Orryn was voiced initially by the magnificent Mario Guttedauro and later Kier Zhou
Mikkel was played by the audacious Adam Robinson
Tobin was played by the sensational Sophie Spoof
Gnilfiet was reprised by the charismatic Krissi Williams
Semion Quietknife was embodied by the indefatigable Dave Hodgson
Saurian 1 was played by Lilly Inverse
Saurian 2 was played by Taylor Michaels
Saurian 3 was played by AJ Fidaglo AKA Mr F
Saurian 4 was played by Lyssa Jay
and everyone else was played by the Knuckle Dragging Kier Zhou
Brenna Anderson-Dowd
Host
Cameron/Jasper Zoinks (he/him)
Host
Dontae
Host
Dr Loup Sutcliffe
Host
Dylan (He/Him)
Host
Girunduu
Host
Kier Zhou
Host
Krissi (She/Her)
Host
Madeleine Buttitta (she/they)
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