---
layout:          post
title:           "MAG118 - #0170608-A/B - The Masquerade"
date:            2018-09-12 12:00:00 -0400
episode_type:      episode
tags:            [Martin Blackwood, Elias Bouchard, The Archivist, Timothy Stoker, Alice 'Daisy' Tonner, Basira Hussain, Nikola Orsinov, The Choir, The Anglerfish, Martin's Mother, Martin's Father, Ivo Lensik, Harold Silvana, Dylan Anderson, Benjamin Hatendi, Albrecht von Closen, Skin, Mutilation, Dismemberment, Explosives, Music, Singing, Parents, Mothers, Fathers, Sons, Legacies, Manipulation, Consent, Cigarette Lighters, Fire, Incineration, Burning Things, Doors, Keys, Traps, The Unknowing, The Rituals, Xenophobia, Scopophobia, The Stranger, The Eye]
voiced:          [Martin Blackwood, Elias Bouchard, Alice 'Daisy' Tonner, The Archivist, Timothy Stoker, Basira Hussain, Melanie King, Nikola Orsinov]
statement_of:    [Various]
recorder:        [Direct, Various]
categories:			"tma"
podcasts: ["tma"]
title_prefix:	"MAG"
prev_categories: ["tma"]
prev_prefixes: ["MAG"]
next_categories: ["tma"]
next_prefixes: ["MAG"]
prev_episode:		['117']
next_episode:		['119']
prev_episode_num:		['117']
next_episode_num:		['119']
prev_episode_title:		["Testament"]
next_episode_title:		["Stranger And Stranger"]
episode_title:   The Masquerade
episode_number:  '118'
case_number:     '0170608-A/B'
statement_date:  2017-08-06
recording_date:  2017-08-06
event_date:      2017-08-06
summary:         "Original recordings of Magnus Institute visit to the House of Wax, Great Yarmouth, and an internal management dispute."
content_flags:   [body horror, emotional cruelty, gun violence, abandonment, supernatural torture]
acast_url:       https://play.acast.com/s/themagnusarchives/mag118-themasquerade
formats: 
  Google Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iNrL5_2j8bY_S4ZB6jfJDZfwWWfFE6hP5oLgSwQ3xeo/edit
  PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hK5H1LGUVxarJHOkVxOdQEUqcALXWSEQ/view
official:        false
unofficial:      https://tmatranscripts.tumblr.com/post/182633017311/mag118themasquerade-1pdf
unofficial_name: tmatranscripts.tumblr.com
wiki_url:        https://the-magnus-archives.fandom.com/wiki/MAG_118:_The_Masquerade
---

##### [INT. MAGNUS INSTITUTE, ARCHIVES]

##### [TAPE CLICKS ON.]

#### MARTIN

Are you listening?

##### [He takes a deep breath.]

Good.

##### [We hear him flip through some files.]

Case, uhh, 0071304. Statement of Ivo Lensik.

##### [He breathes out again, then flicks open a lighter.]

_(your loss)_ Alright.

##### [He sets the statement alight and lets out a long breath.]

Statement ends, I guess. Um...

##### [He looks through some more statements.]

Harold Silvana. 002040*6.*  You'll probably do.

##### [He lights this statement aflame too. There's a clear glee in his voice as he continues; what's up with that?]

All right then. 01*4*0207. Dylan Anderson. Yeah? _(pause)_ Okay.

##### [He sets it on fire.]

_(sing-song)_ There's plenty more on the pile...

##### [There's a sharp knock-knock-knock at the door. It's Elias, and he doesn't sound happy.]

#### ELIAS

Martin. Martin, open the door.

##### [He jiggles the doorknob in a fruitless attempt to open it.]

#### MARTIN

Sorry, Elias. I can't hear you. There's -- a door in the way.

#### ELIAS

Martin, I do not have time for this.

#### MARTIN

Then maybe you should *make* time.

#### ELIAS

Unlock the door. Now.

#### MARTIN

I thought you had a key.

#### ELIAS

*Martin.*

#### MARTIN

I'm not going anywhere.

##### [Elias knocks once more against the door in frustration, then stalks off, presumably to get the key.]

#### MARTIN

I would hurry, though, if I were you.

##### [TAPE CLICKS OFF.]


------


##### [INT. WAXWORKS]

##### [TAPE CLICKS ON.]

##### [There's a low, almost windy sort of constant background noise. Everyone (John, Daisy, Basira, Tim)'s voices echo a little more than usual.]

#### DAISY

Come *on*.

#### ARCHIVIST

Right.

##### [He makes a sound of extreme disgust -- it almost sounds like he's straining with something.]

#### DAISY

Shut. Up. It's just cobwebs.

#### ARCHIVIST

There's no such thing as *just* cobwebs.

##### [Everyone around him sighs. Their sighs are weary, as if they've heard this, or some variation thereof, before.]

#### ARCHIVIST

I don't like it.

#### TIM

Tough. Is this it?

#### DAISY

Yeah. We plant the last of it here, and this place will go up nice.

#### ARCHIVIST

What's the range on the detonator?

#### TIM

_(testy)_ Same as the last time you asked.

##### [In the background we can hear the sound of Daisy unzipping the explosives bag.]

#### BASIRA

Where is everybody?

#### ARCHIVIST

Preparing, I -- I guess. Haven't seen any of them since the last of, uh, whatever the hell that was went inside.

##### [Rustling sounds.]

#### BASIRA

It's too quiet.

#### ARCHIVIST

It could be a trap.

#### DAISY

And? If it is, I give this a squeeze, no more trap.

#### BASIRA

And no more us.

##### [Daisy makes a noncommittal noise.]

#### TIM

Don't fret it. And anyways, it's not like we're alone in here. _(Laughs)_ Look. There's Prince Charles!

##### [Everyone groans.]

#### TIM 

Oh, if he'd been in an accident. Or, the Beatles! If they'd *all* been in separate accidents, like, like Ringo --

##### [Basira(?) sighs.]

#### TIM 

-- was in a horrible fire, or Paul was in a car crash, that's a classic.

#### ARCHIVIST

Yes, Tim. I remember them. _(shaky inhale)_ The waxworks are... bad. _(A mechanical sound begins)_ Just keep an eye on them. If they start... moving --

#### TIM

Hit them with an axe.

#### ARCHIVIST

...Sure.

##### [Pause. The mechanical whirring continues]

#### BASIRA

John...

#### ARCHIVIST

Yes?

#### BASIRA

When you were, um... kidnapped, did you leave a tape recorder here?

#### ARCHIVIST

What? I don't -- I don't think so, why? Is there --

##### [Silence as eyes go to the tape recorder.]

#### ARCHIVIST

Oh.

#### BASIRA

Yeah.

#### ARCHIVIST

For god's sake.

#### BASIRA

So where did it come from?

#### ARCHIVIST

Not important right now.

#### TIM

Turn it __off.__

#### ARCHIVIST

Yes, I'm *way* ahead of you.

##### [TAPE CLICKS OFF.]


------


##### [INT. ARCHIVES]

##### [TAPE CLICKS ON.]

##### [Rustling of papers. A crackling begins as Martin lights another statement on fire.]

#### MARTIN

Hello?

#### ELIAS

*What* are you doing.

#### MARTIN

That one, that one was Benjamin Hatendi. You weren't fast enough with the key!

#### ELIAS

What. Are. You. Doing.

#### MARTIN

Oh, I'm sorry, can you not just *look* into my head? Read my mind?

##### [The fire crackles.]

What's wrong? Too busy trying to keep an eye on everything?

#### ELIAS

Tell me what you're doing, and *why.*

#### MARTIN

I just thought I'd, you know, drop a couple of ideas in the old suggestion box.

##### [He picks up another statement.]

Turns out my suggestion is...

##### [He sets it alight.]

Fire.

##### [Elias sighs in a way that sounds like he's trying to keep himself from saying or doing something.]

#### ELIAS

And yet you haven't set the whole Archives alight. So I assume this is... what's it called. A cry for attention.

#### MARTIN

Maybe I just thought it might hurt.

#### ELIAS

No more than you're hurting yourself by acting out.

#### MARTIN

Oh, so that's it, isn't it. Martin's just acting out. I mean, Daisy's a "rabid dog," and Melanie's a potential killer, Tim's a -- a *rogue element,* but Martin, oh Martin's just acting out. He'll have a cry, and a lie down, and feel much better.

#### ELIAS

_(done)_ And if you're trying to convince me otherwise, then you are failing. Now, if you're quite done, I am very busy.

#### MARTIN

Oh, sorry. Sorry, I'm not -- keeping you from the show, am I? Well -- well you head back. I'll keep myself busy here. Albrecht von Closen is next, I think.

##### [There may be a quiet '*oh'* in the background here.]

He's quite an old one. Should go up very quickly.

#### ELIAS

##### [Elias takes a deep breath.]

Did John put you up to this?

#### MARTIN

You think I'm doing this for him?

#### ELIAS

No. It's just the sort of half-baked scheme he'd come up with, and I am well aware that you'd do just about anything for him.

#### MARTIN

_(overlapping)_ I would _[unintelligible]_ --

#### ELIAS

_(cutting off)_ And I don't need to read your mind for that one.

##### [Pause.]

#### MARTIN

Do you really --

##### [He cuts himself off, composes himself.]

Is it so hard to believe that I hate you as well?

#### ELIAS

No. It's just hard to imagine that you would act on it.

##### [Disbelieving laugh from Martin.]

#### MARTIN

You think I'm what -- I'm, I'm, I'm, um, blind?

#### ELIAS

Oh, no. You've made that quite clear.

#### MARTIN

So what? I don't get to be angry? I don't get to burn things? Just, just run around, making tea, while everyone else gets to actually have feelings?

#### ELIAS

Please get to the point, Martin.

#### MARTIN

Maybe there isn't one. Alright? Maybe --

#### ELIAS

Maybe you're just wasting my time.

#### MARTIN

Yeah. Yeah, maybe.

#### ELIAS

I see. That puts me in a... difficult position.

#### MARTIN

Good.

#### ELIAS

You might want to turn the tape off, Martin.

##### [TAPE CLICKS OFF.]


------


##### [INT. WAXWORKS]

#### ARCHIVIST

How much longer?

#### DAISY

_(through gritted teeth)_ I don't. Know.

#### ARCHIVIST

The others didn't take this long.

#### DAISY

The *others* had clear structural weaknesses. This room doesn't.

#### TIM

How hard can it be to blow up *one* building, with all this... stuff!

#### DAISY

It *depends.* Lots of other buildings close around it, I was told to be *careful*.

#### TIM

Right. *Fine*.

#### BASIRA

...So would you say this was supposed to be Churchill or Alfred Hitchcock?

##### [The Archivist lets out a breath.]

#### ARCHIVIST

Jowls like that, could be either. I mean, the suit is a bit -- *Tim!* Leave it!

#### TIM

We should know what's going on. How close they are.

#### ARCHIVIST

We are *not* ready yet! If you start opening doors and they *see* you --

#### TIM

Are you sure it's through there?

#### ARCHIVIST

I, I, I, I'm *pretty* sure! I saw it a few times while I was here, they've knocked through most of the middle, ho-hollowed it out, made a sort of -- auditorium.

#### BASIRA

How big?

#### ARCHIVIST

I don't know! Big!

#### BASIRA

I mean, it's not a huge building.

#### ARCHIVIST

I __don't know__. Tonight was my *first* time seeing it from the outside. At least in the... flesh. I guess it does seem, m, smaller?

##### [Silence. Water dripping.]

#### BASIRA

You're sure this is the right place?

#### ARCHIVIST

I *am.* This is definitely where they kept me. Although I don't remember -- *quite* this many waxworks.

#### BASIRA

Alright. I just don't want to get this far and find out we're in a --

##### [She's cut off by a strange music seeming to come from the other side of the door. Calliope chords.]

#### ARCHIVIST

This is the place.

##### [He takes a shaky breath.]

#### TIM

We need to see what's going on in there.

#### ARCHIVIST

Just ignore it. We have a *job* to do --

#### BASIRA

Jesus.

#### ARCHIVIST & TIM

What?

#### BASIRA

It moved.

#### ARCHIVIST

Right, okay, if they're starting to, ah, we've got to go.

#### BASIRA

No, like -- it was just -- it's just a flicker in his eyes. Look at this --

#### ARCHIVIST

Don't -- Look, if the waxworks are coming alive, we *need* to go.

#### BASIRA

Just *shut* up and look.

##### [Silence but for the background melody as they do.]

#### BASIRA

Huh.

#### ARCHIVIST

Oh god...

Oh god, they're not waxworks.

#### TIM

What do you -- Christ.

#### ARCHIVIST

Tim, I -- I think --

I think maybe we had better see what's going on in there.

#### TIM

Alright. On three. _(pause)_ Three.

##### [They open the door. The music grows louder.]

#### ARCHIVIST

Oh...

#### TIM

Holy --

#### ARCHIVIST

_(awed)_ Yes. I suppose it is.

#### DAISY

Done.

#### ARCHIVIST

I, um. I-I think we might need all of it, Daisy. This place is, uh, it's bigger than we thought.

#### DAISY

Roger that. Give me a couple of minutes.

#### ARCHIVIST

S-s-sooner would be better.

##### [He starts breathing faster.]

#### TIM

What is it?

#### ARCHIVIST

Fear fuels everything, of course they need it, for a g-grand ritual...

#### BASIRA

What the hell is that thing? What's it doing to them?

#### ARCHIVIST

I, I think... I used to call it The Anglerfish. It's -- I *knew* it took the skin, used it to, to coat people made of sawdust and stuffing, but now -- I suppose I thought it just... *ate* the rest. But no. It had a museum to fill with waxworks. And I guess you don't need skin to sing. _(shaky breath)_ To join the choir.

##### [TAPE CLICKS OFF.]


------


##### [INT. ARCHIVES]

##### [TAPE CLICKS ON.]

#### MARTIN

Hm. Sorry. Looks like it wants to know what's going on.

#### ELIAS

Hm. A pity. You know John listens to all of them.

#### MARTIN

What, you don't want him hearing your big evil speech?

#### ELIAS

Just wanted to spare you the small amount of dignity you have left.

##### [Martin laughs, but it's mirthless.]

#### MARTIN

*Dignity?* Right, yeah. Like the dignity of being trapped in your flat by *worms,* or sleeping in the Archives clutching a corkscrew, or, or fetching drinks for the *thing* that murdered your friend without you even noticing. Laughing, at all their little jokes, then being led to wander impossible corridors for *weeks.*

#### ELIAS

_(sighing)_ Are you done.

#### MARTIN

*Not* even *close.* Because, I -- _(composes himself)_ I've been thinking. It's not like you got this all-seeing thing recently. You've had it the whole time. I remember the way you looked at Sasha after the attack. You *knew* it wasn't her. And I reckon you knew Prentiss was lurking under the Institute, too, and you did nothing. Why?

##### [Beat.]

##### [Martin slams his hand down onto the desk.]

__*Why?*__

##### [Beat.]

#### ELIAS

Let's just get this over with, shall we?

#### MARTIN

What, like with Melanie? Just that *perfect* bit of information to leave me a wreck?

##### [Elias takes a breath.]

#### ELIAS

Yes.

#### MARTIN

Well, I hope you've got something better than that pathetic dig at my feelings for John.

#### ELIAS

It's baffling, really. Such loyalty to someone who really treats you very badly.

#### MARTIN

Oh, is that supposed to be, what, a revelation?

#### ELIAS

You know, I really should have gone for that. Found something that would finally manage to shatter that precious image you have of him. But, as you say, I am *very* busy at the moment. So I suppose I'll have to go with what I had prepared.

#### MARTIN

Do it.

#### ELIAS

Your mother. She's always been... difficult, hasn't she. You take care of her for years, feed her, clean up after her, and now, with her condition degrading even further, *she* is the one that asked to be moved into a home.

##### [Martin sucks in a shaky breath.]

To have it left to the nurses. *She's* the one that refuses your visits.

#### MARTIN

She's a-always been --

#### ELIAS

Strong-willed?

#### MARTIN

Stubborn...

#### ELIAS

No. No, Martin. You know the reason. Your mother simply hates you. You just don't know why.

It's not your fault, though I know that isn't any consolation. Just bad luck, really. How old were you when your father left? Eight? Nine? When your mother began to sicken, and he decided he was done with you both. Not old enough to remember him with any great clarity, *especially* when your mother refused to keep any pictures of him. She never recovered from that betrayal. He just tore her heart right out and took it with him.

The thing is, though, Martin. If you ever *do* want to know *exactly* what your father looked like... All you have to do is look in a mirror.

##### [Martin's breathing grows louder and shakier. There's a vague static in the background, still.]

#### ELIAS

The resemblance is quite uncanny. The face of the man she hates, who destroyed her life, watching over her. Feeding her. Cleaning her. Looking down on her with such pity.

#### MARTIN

_(tearful)_ Shut. Up.

#### ELIAS

You want to know what she sees when she looks at you?

##### [Both Martin's sobs and the static grow louder; Elias is transmitting the memories and images straight into his mind.]

#### MARTIN

_(through sobs)_ Oh god...

##### [He continues crying as the static keeps going.]

#### ELIAS

_(hissing)_ *Don't burn any more statements.*

##### [Elias leaves, closing the door to the office behind him as Martin continues sobbing. He's doing his best to compose himself, and he manages to do so just enough before the door opens again and Melanie comes in.]

#### MARTIN

Did you find anything?

#### MELANIE

Uh, yes, I found --

##### [She finally looks up and sees the state Martin's in.]

Jesus. Are you okay?

#### MARTIN

Do we have what we need?

#### MELANIE

I think so, yes. He didn't even have a safe, just a few locked drawers. It was -- it was easy.

##### [Martin takes a shaky breath.]

#### MARTIN

We need to leave.

#### MELANIE

We need to kill him. Look at you. He needs to __die__.

#### MARTIN

No. No, I -- I knew what this was gonna be.

#### MELANIE

It's not just for *you!* If we leave him alive --

#### MARTIN

Melanie. Melanie, please.

##### [Beat.]

##### [Melanie sighs.]

#### MELANIE

Alright. Let's get these somewhere safe.

##### [TAPE CLICKS OFF.]


------


##### [INT. WAXWORKS]

##### [TAPE CLICKS ON.]

#### BASIRA

So what do we do?

#### ARCHIVIST

We *can't* help them.

#### TIM

So, what, we're just going to *leave them* to be *skinned alive*?

#### ARCHIVIST

_(overlapping)_ [And] what do you want me to do?!

#### TIM

Well, you brought me in as a distraction, right?

#### ARCHIVIST

What?

#### TIM

Let me do it. Go in, maybe you can get some of them --

#### ARCHIVIST

Tim, contrary to what you think, I did *not* bring you here to indulge your *death wish*.

#### TIM

That's not what this is.

#### ARCHIVIST

No?

#### TIM

No! You *knew* I might not be coming back --

#### ARCHIVIST

I knew *none* of us might be coming back, and I'm not going to let anyone get killed for nothing!

#### TIM

Well, except for those people in there.

#### ARCHIVIST

They're already dead!

#### TIM

Not all of them.

#### ARCHIVIST

_(sudden yell, followed by immediate realization of need to whisper)_ I am __not__ losing you as well!

#### BASIRA

_[unintelligible, overlapping]_... Look. Whatever we're going to do, we need to figure it out. Now.

#### ARCHIVIST

*Fine.*

#### TIM

*Look.* John, I --

#### DAISY

Done.

#### ARCHIVIST

What?

#### DAISY

It's all ready. Here.

#### ARCHIVIST

Oh. I -- I thought you would want to, uh, do the honors.

#### DAISY

It's safer with you. *You* know when it needs to happen.

#### ARCHIVIST

Right. Okay, um, c-come on, then. Let's *go.* _(pause)_ Tim, come on.

#### TIM

This isn't right.

#### BASIRA

At least it'll be quick.

#### ARCHIVIST

Tim, *please.* We have to go --

##### [The door creaks open. The music is louder, now.]

#### ARCHIVIST

Get back.

#### DAISY

Behind me.

##### [A new static begins.]

#### NIKOLA

_(over speaker)_ Will the audience please take their positions?

##### [The static grows in intensity.]

#### NIKOLA

The show... has begun.

#### ARCHIVES TEAM

AAAAH.

##### [The static grows louder. In the background, the circus music intensifies, with a proper melody and beat finally recognizable. Amidst it all is the Archivist's breathing, loud and isolated against the background frenzy.]

#### ARCHIVIST

Jesus...

#### BASIRA

Get the hell away from me!

#### TIM

Where's -- no!

#### DAISY

Don't move --

#### ARCHIVIST

Daisy! Daisy, i-it's me!

#### TIM

__No!__

#### DAISY

I said, don't move.

#### ARCHIVIST

Daisy!

##### [Something is slammed, or hit.]

##### [The circus music continues for a few seconds before fading out into the Magnus Archives theme.]