The cast of Merely Roleplayers are mostly members and associates of Blackshaw, a theatre company based in London, UK.
The characters in the stories told by Merely Roleplayers are also the members of Blackshaw, transplanted into different stories like in Quantum Leap or Mr Benn. They play themselves - or versions of themselves that could have been.
Host & Producer of Merely Roleplayers
Creator of the podcast and Master of Games, Matt is your erstwhile host through the thick and thin, the good and bad, and the ups and downs of Merely Roleplayers. With a background as a writer, Matt has a keen storytelling sense and uses the skills he has developed writing for stage, screen and radio to create fascinating and immersive worlds for his players to lose themselves in.
Manager & Artistic Director @ Blackshaw
Appears in seasons 1-6
Ellie is the driving force behind the podcast players, and having spent six seasons at the mercy of the dice she knows a thing or two about facing down impossible odds. She regularly calls on all the organisational and coordination skills she has gained from acting as Manager of Blackshaw theatre company to corral the motley crews she finds herself at the heart of each season.
Strategy & Planning Manager @ Blackshaw
Appears in seasons 1, 2, 5 & 6
A level-headed strategist, Vikki has often proven invaluable to the Merely Roleplayers crew for her ability to keep her cool even in the most high-pressure, high-stakes situations. Knowing how to plan ahead and adapt quickly to changing situations has helped her work as Blackshaw's Strategy and Planning Manager, and it also helps her fight her way to victory in the podcast's dastardly challenges.
IT Manager @ Blackshaw
Appears in seasons 1, 3, 5 & 6
Cool, calm and collected, Strat can always be relied upon to think his way out of any situation without letting panic set in. It's a valuable skillset for an IT Manager, and it has proven time and again to be an even more valuable skillset for a member of the Merely Roleplayers team.
Actor @ Blackshaw
Appears in seasons 1, 3 & 6
Enthusiastic and impulsive, Alex is very much the wildcard of the Merely Roleplayers crew, whose gut instincts and reactions have gotten him into almost as much trouble as they have gotten him out of. Keeping his emotions close to the surface has allowed him to bring some impressive performances to the stage, but sometimes gets the podcast players into close scrapes.
Actor @ Blackshaw
Appears in season 2 & 6
Confident and charismatic, Chris S's greatest skill is in talking the talk. This has brought him great success as an actor in many of Blackshaw's productions, and has also helped the Merely Roleplayers crew out of some sticky situations on the podcast.
Associate @ Blackshaw
Appears in season 3
Outgoing and exuberant, Helen's enthusiastic personality has helped to lift the spirits of the Merely Roleplayers crew during many a dark and dread-filled moment. It has also helped to draw audiences in to view and enjoy some of Blackshaw theatre company's successful productions, and she is an asset to the team both on the podcast and off it.
Associate @ Blackshaw
Appears in season 4
A strong-willed force of nature, Josh throws himself into every situation as if he has nothing to lose. While this has helped to build strong relationships between Blackshaw and other theatre companies, it has also led the Merely Roleplayers crew into some dangerous territory in the past.
Writer @ Blackshaw
Appears in season 4
A natural storyteller with an eye for character and plot, Chris B has brought all his writing skill to bear for Blackshaw theatre company, and more recently to the world of Merely Roleplayers. His understanding of motivations has helped the team deal with the difficult characters they come across on their journeys many times over.
Host @ The Space Jam Continuum
Appears in seasons 5 (as player) and 6 (as co-host)
The newest recruit to the Merely Roleplayers team, Chris M has nonetheless proven himself invaluable, using his expertise in roleplaying games and bottomless knowledge of stats and trivia to bring new and exciting ideas to the podcast. He has even established himself as a strong co-host, having worked together with Matt on season 6.