A Message from Mars is a play by Richard Ganthony, first performed at London’s Avenue Theatre in November 1899. The play presents an unusual evening in the life of Horace Parker, a selfish man. Horace refuses to escort Minnie, his ward and fiance, to a ball because he would prefer to spend his evening at home reading about new discoveries about the planet Mars. Minnie goes to the ball with another escort, leaving Horace home alone. Horace falls asleep and dreams that he is visited by a man, a Messenger from Mars. The Messenger sets out to cure Horace of his selfishness. After a series of visions, the Messenger reduces Horace to a beggar in rags. Having realized the error of his ways, Horace awakens a changed man. Ramiel is named in the 1913 film Message from Mars, which is considered to be the first British science fiction feature film. Martians in this tale act as a sort of angelic beings. They have no wings, yet display powers and “moral” interests similar to those often given to angels in other stories and writings. Ramiel is motivated to restore his standing in the “court” of the God of Mars, and retrieve his Ankh jewel worn by all those in favor of the court. Ramiel is invisible to all but Horace, though it is presumed he can become visible to anyone. He sets up situations whereby Horace might be tested, and also he may change the appearance of other people, for example he makes Horace appear as a beggar to others, suggesting reality manipulation. He can teleport instantly. On Mars, he can show Horace’s progress through a crystal ball type of apparatus.
Alias Messenger from Mars
Real Names/Alt Names Unknown (1899), Ramiel (1912)
First Appearance A Message from Mars: A Fantastic Comedy in Three Acts (Play, 1899)
First Publisher ○
Appearance List Plays: A Message from Mars (London, November 1899), A Message from Mars (New York, 1901) on tour between 1903 and 1905. Films: A Message from Mars (1903, 1913, 1921). Novelization: A Message from Mars (1912, 1913).
Description A Message from Mars is a play by Richard Ganthony, first performed at London’s Avenue Theatre in November 1899. The play presents an unusual evening in the life of Horace Parker, a selfish man. Horace refuses to escort Minnie, his ward and fiance, to a ball because he would prefer to spend his evening at home reading about new discoveries about the planet Mars. Minnie goes to the ball with another escort, leaving Horace home alone. Horace falls asleep and dreams that he is visited by a man, a Messenger from Mars. The Messenger sets out to cure Horace of his selfishness. After a series of visions, the Messenger reduces Horace to a beggar in rags. Having realized the error of his ways, Horace awakens a changed man. Ramiel is named in the 1913 film Message from Mars, which is considered to be the first British science fiction feature film. Martians in this tale act as a sort of angelic beings. They have no wings, yet display powers and “moral” interests similar to those often given to angels in other stories and writings. Ramiel is motivated to restore his standing in the “court” of the God of Mars, and retrieve his Ankh jewel worn by all those in favor of the court. Ramiel is invisible to all but Horace, though it is presumed he can become visible to anyone. He sets up situations whereby Horace might be tested, and also he may change the appearance of other people, for example he makes Horace appear as a beggar to others, suggesting reality manipulation. He can teleport instantly. On Mars, he can show Horace’s progress through a crystal ball type of apparatus.
