Zombie Joe’s Underground theatre seems to be on a roll of late. With their recent foray into the forest with Camp Whitsit, we saw a sincere playfulness that was surprisingly charming. Then came the F***** Up Easter Egg Hunt that sought to tell the story of Easter in what was probably the most demented version of the Christian holiday we have ever seen. We now have Monsters Come Out at Night, a fully enveloping tour of monsters known and unknown.
Once again, standing curbside at the plain entrance into ZJU, none of us knew what to expect. Cars flying past us on Lankershim, life buzzing about, and we are asked to stand single file, and prepare to enter the theatre. There is no set place for the audience, instead, we will be guided. It is promised that the actors will NOT touch us, but instead, will guide us. No blindfolds this time either. We huddle together and are led in.
A murky red light beams a narrow passage before us. The slender hallway we find ourselves in morphs and undulates on either side. Whispers emanate from unseen sources. The door closes behind us and the show begins. We are first met by a sort of Master of Ceremonies. Perched atop a candlelit altar, this figure beckons us in while pounding wildly on a tiny keyboard. What are the monsters we fear? What shapes and forms do they take? We are about to find out.
Expelled into the recesses of the ZJU theatre we take a cerebral, sometimes confusing, but always engaging journey. The fearless ensemble of performance artists, choreographers and actors work tirelessly to pull guests through scenes both dark and disturbing. The ensemble includes Barry Bishop, Gina Bishop, Erica Chappell, Nicole Craig, Adam Daniel, Andrew Frank, Katie Lee, Jorge Lozano, Amanda McKenna, Kylee Thurman, and Linette Zare. All commit to the performances admirably, not once wavering from creating a fully engrossing experience.
Directed by Zombie Joe, Monsters Come Out at Night is a worthwhile escapade into the unknown. He’s not breaking any new ground here, but it is an interesting and rewarding piece of theatre.
(3) Weekends Only: FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS @ 8:30pm & 9:30pm, APRIL 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 & 21, 2018
