Wayward Strand
Don’t lose the thread of this heartfelt narrative
Casey Beaumaris has always preferred books to people. She’s content to while away her summer holidays with a stack of good reads, but her mother has another idea. As the head nurse at a hospital on a flying ship, she invites her daughter aboard. An aspiring journalist, Casey jumps at the chance and secretly plans to write an article about her visit for her school newspaper. But Casey is about to learn that at the centre of any story worth telling are the people.
With the staff busy attending to their patients’ needs and preparing for the arrival of an important official, Casey is free to roam the ship. Some of its passengers are chatty and others are very much in their own world, but the narrative design is interesting because both medical professionals and patients live their lives whether you’re there to see it or not. At any time you can interrupt to participate in a conversation between characters and you’re free to follow whichever storylines interest you the most.
LIFE’S LIKE AN AIRSHIP
As whimsical as the alternate-timeline take on Australia in the year 1978 is, many of the characters’ stories feel decidedly grounded. Wayward Strand doesn’t shy away from the heavier themes inherent to its setting. As we’re told repeatedly, “time passes for everyone” and it’s up to you to choose how Casey will make the most of her time aboard, whether that’s eavesdropping on private conversations or immersing yourself in the community. You determine how Casey fills her summer notebook.
Will you follow former radio psychic Esther Fitzgerald and learn about her quest to solve a mystery concerning a goat? Or perhaps you’d rather take in a lecture from motivational speaker Neil Avery? What happens when the pair of them meet for a chat? Will you watch from the sidelines or join in as the conversation gets lively? Developed over half a decade, the interweaving threads of the characters’ lives make this a short experience with plenty to uncover on replays.
“DOESN’T SHY AWAY FROM THE HEAVIER THEMES.”
IMPRESSIONS
We’re eager to meet Casey and her new friends… though we’re certain this breezy experience will make us cry.