The Intercepted podcast presents “Evening at the Talk House” — a darkly comic audio drama about the insidious dangers of an authoritarian society, written by and starring Wallace Shawn.
An intimate group of writers and actors reunite to celebrate a collaboration from their past. But the world is now very different and more quietly dangerous. And so are they. As drinks and hors d’oeuvres are consumed, small talk evolves into more sinister topics. “Evening at the Talk House” is a stark reminder that all it takes is complacency to enable the dirty work of an authoritarian regime.
This audio drama was based on the original U.S. theatrical production of “Evening at the Talk House” directed by Scott Elliott for the New Group in New York. Featuring Matthew Broderick, Wallace Shawn, Larry Pine, Jill Eikenberry, John Epperson, Claudia Shear, Michael Tucker, and Annapurna Sriram. Written by Wallace Shawn. Directed and produced by Pejk Malinovski. Assistant Director Marie Masters. Original music by John Epperson. Additional music, mixing, and sound design by Bart Warshaw. Executive produced by Jeremy Scahill and Leital Molad.
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IT’S EVEN WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT.
What we’re seeing right now from Donald Trump is a full-on authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government.
This is not hyperbole.
Court orders are being ignored. MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of the military and federal law enforcement agencies. The Department of Government Efficiency has stripped Congress of its power of the purse. News outlets that challenge Trump have been banished or put under investigation.
Yet far too many are still covering Trump’s assault on democracy like politics as usual, with flattering headlines describing Trump as “unconventional,” “testing the boundaries,” and “aggressively flexing power.”
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy.
We’re independent of corporate interests. Will you help us?
IT’S BEEN A DEVASTATING year for journalism — the worst in modern U.S. history.
We have a president with utter contempt for truth aggressively using the government’s full powers to dismantle the free press. Corporate news outlets have cowered, becoming accessories in Trump’s project to create a post-truth America. Right-wing billionaires have pounced, buying up media organizations and rebuilding the information environment to their liking.
In this most perilous moment for democracy, The Intercept is fighting back. But to do so effectively, we need to grow.
That’s where you come in. Will you help us expand our reporting capacity in time to hit the ground running in 2026?
We’re independent of corporate interests. Will you help us?
I’M BEN MUESSIG, The Intercept’s editor-in-chief. It’s been a devastating year for journalism — the worst in modern U.S. history.
We have a president with utter contempt for truth aggressively using the government’s full powers to dismantle the free press. Corporate news outlets have cowered, becoming accessories in Trump’s project to create a post-truth America. Right-wing billionaires have pounced, buying up media organizations and rebuilding the information environment to their liking.
In this most perilous moment for democracy, The Intercept is fighting back. But to do so effectively, we need to grow.
That’s where you come in. Will you help us expand our reporting capacity in time to hit the ground running in 2026?
We’re independent of corporate interests. Will you help us?
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