As the clock struck midnight, we were lead into a room with a circular table, each of us asked to sit close to one of the symbols. The medium went around the table, asking us to introduce ourselves, to explain any instances with the paranormal we may have had, in order to create a bond. To further this bond, we all joined hands as she began to summon something from the great beyond. And when she did…we were not prepared for what happened next.
I attended the second weekend of Sinister Pointe’s latest offering, Séance, and loved every moment of it. Over the few years I’ve been here in California, Sinister Pointe has been known, to me at least, as constantly trying new things. While there is nothing wrong the traditional “jump scares” haunt, Sinister Pointe often goes above and beyond, experimenting with formats that often result in innovative shows.
Séance was no different. Taking a page from early in the 19th century, they outfitted their Séance with all the trappings of old. The room itself contributed greatly to that vibe, with its darkened atmosphere and rain pelting the windows “outside.”
Leading the proceedings was Dasha Kittredge, who skillfully took on the role of an inexperienced medium, whose family lineage tied directly into the story. Kittredge, who seasoned SoCal Haunt fans will recognize from Delusion, led the show with such force that I was completely lost in it. From the moment we walked into the room, she transformed her entire persona and absolutely gave herself over to the role. She was a strong force who carried the weight of the show, and made us all believe that what we were seeing was true.
Also worth mentioning is David Gonzalez, who played the role of the assistant. While some may have seen this role as minor, Gonzalez really went full force into it. The hushed whispers between him and Kittredge at certain points during the show sold their relationship as two somewhat inexperienced people who are tip-toeing into this world, and made it all the more believable.
The special effects of the show were top-notch as well. While some of the proceedings took place in complete darkness, all while sitting around the table, it was pretty amazing what they were able to pull off in such tight quarters. While not giving anything away, some pretty freaky stuff happens, and it will leave you on the edge of your seat…literally.
We attended the midnight showing, which was known to be a bit more intense than the regular showings, so I cannot compare the two. However, the midnight show was an experience where the tension kept building and building to a point where we almost couldn’t handle it anymore. Kudos to the team for keeping us on edge for so long, and for scaring the hell out of us. All in all, Séance showed off what Sinister Pointe does best, and really impressed me.
In the title of this review, I mention that this is a revamp of the show. Séance originally premiered a few months ago, only to close shortly after the first few shows. Sinister Pointe realized that the original direction of the show was not working, and cancelled the remaining performances in order to re-do the entire thing. Having attended one of those earlier shows, they made the right call. I think it’s a true testament to Sinister Pointe’s customer service that they recognized that there were problems, and wanted to fix them. They offered free slots to this new showing to anyone who saw the original, or refunds for those who didn’t. I applaud Sinister Pointe for their impressive customer service here, and commend them for their honesty.
This version of Séance is what we all expected, and we’re so glad we went to see it. It truly is a good time, and I highly recommend it.
You still have another weekend to experience the show, May 6 and 7, and I highly recommend you do so. These shows were added due to popular demand, and due to the limited number of seats per show, they are going fast.
Find out more and buy tickets at http://sinisterpointe.com/
