Bells Hells gets a long overdue Critical Role live show this weekend. The cast of Critical Role is set to perform a live episode of their hit Actual Play show at the historic Greek Theatre in Griffith Park in LA. Live shows have been a proud part of Critical Role going all the way back to 2016, when the cast performed in front of a packed crowd at Gen Con. While the pandemic put a temporary halt to these shows, Critical Role has slowly added more to their schedule, with a Mighty Nein reunion show selling out Wembley in London last year and Candela Obscura hosting its first live show last month in LA.
Speaking with ComicBook’s The Character Sheet last week, Critical Role cast member Liam O’Brien talked about the excitement that comes with a live show. When asked about the build to the live show, O’Brien mentioned the raw energy that comes with a live show. “Oh, gosh, the live show, overdue for this team,” O’Brien said, referring to Bells Hells. “I have a sense of where we’re aimed, although I don’t know everything, obviously, because we never do. But it is an incredible landscape to be playing in, and I can’t wait to crack it open for the audience and then for world at large once we get to it. I’m excited to see Robbie [Daymond] walk out on stage and ride the waves with us, which I never get used to it, but we’ve done a few of these live shows and just the raw energy is so incredible.”
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Robbie Daymond plays Dorian Storm, who shares a connection with O’Brien’s Orym, and will be appearing in his first Critical Live show. O’Brien mentioned that the live aspect of this show should appeal to Daymond’s theater background and sensibilities. “[Daymond’s] old school theater like I am, and we spent all of our times in recording studios and at game tables now, O’Brien said. “So anytime I get to go out on stage, it’s like going home, and I can’t wait for him to get that too.”
While it might seem strange to compare a Dungeons & Dragons actual play performance to a sporting event, Critical Role live shows tend to attract the same kind of energy. “It’s like getting a ray gun shot into you moment after moment,” O’Brien said. “After a lot of years in the theater, so it’s not a surprise to me, but when you do anything on stage, the audience is pretty much like an additional character in the room with you with one very large voice, so you can’t really block it out. You want to play with them and hold for laughs, but not just laughs but dramatic effect. You can tell when an entire audience is silent and you can hear a pin drop.”
Because of the live audience, O’Brien said that it brings a different aspect to how he approaches a typical episode of Critical Role. “Just the same way that I work with Marisha [Ray] or with Sam [Riegel], and we know each other backwards and forwards, and they’re your scene partner, audience is like a scene partner,” O’Brien said. “Again, [the audience] is the one that is shooting like a Godzilla Minus One beam of energy into you the whole time. So it is definitely a different experience. It’s different. I don’t know if it’s better or worse. I love the intimacy of our table, and as a practicing extroverted introvert, I love being able to pretend that no one’s watching when we sit at our table. So there’s a lot of strength to that quiet and that intimacy, but there’s also no denying the raw power and fun of performing live on stage.”
The Bells Hells campaign is approaching its third anniversary and is clearly in its third act, but the live show should still hold some big surprises for fans. One such surprise – the likely reveal of Sam Riegel’s new character, following the loss of his old one earlier in the year. Riegel has been notably missing from the table since the loss of Fresh Cut Grass (or Letters, as O’Brien affectionately refers to him) but is advertised for the live show. While O’Brien and Riegel have a close friendship that long predates Critical Role, O’Brien said that he knows nothing about what Riegel has planned for his next character. “Nothing to me,” O’Brien said, when asked if Riegel had revealed anything. The party is likely heading into a big encounter as part of the live show, so it seems like Riegel will be making a dramatic appearance to aid the party.
When asked about his final thoughts about the upcoming show, O’Brien referred to the magic of the physical setting and the story itself. “The Greek Theatre is an incredible theatre to see anything in, we’re going to be under the stars. It’s going to be magic, and no matter what happens, it’s going to be magic,” O’Brien said. “Our fantasy setting is incredible where we’re at. It’s Bells Hells first time riding that wave. You know you all want to see Robbie Daymond get on a surfboard and go out in front of the crowd. He’s going to be fantastic. Again, I don’t know, but I believe we’re in the last stages or shuttling towards the latter part of this campaign. So big things are happening in the world. Matt has a good knack for lining up, teeing up those moments for when we walk out on stage, so come join.”
The Bells Hells live show will take place at the Greek Theater in LA on Saturday, June 15th. The recorded version of the episode will air on Critical Role’s streaming channel.
