Halloween is over, but if you still want to get creeped out, I suggest going to see Shocktoberfest at the Hypnodrome. The Thrillpeddlers have put on another campy, trampy and scary good time. Shocktoberfest is a collection of shorts, each one different and appealing. Staged within The Hypnodrome, a theater high on the creepy scale, it's the perfect pairing to entertain and provide a level of suspense. Some of the seats actually shock you, at times the theatre goes completely black and you may feel things move beside you or even grab you.
The Bloody Bride
If you are a fan of John Waters, David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick, Shocktoberfest is for you. The first act comes equipped with a vengeful wife, a crazy actress, singing mummies and more. For me, the fun with the Thrillpeddlers is that you never know what they will dream up and how far they will take something. "Those Beautiful Ghouls," one of the shorts in the second act, reminds you of just how campy this theatre troupe is, singing, dancing and making you laugh until your sides hurt.
Cast of The Bride of Death
Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of times throughout the night, you want to jump out of your skin... but then, something hilarious happens and you are grinning from ear to ear. The standouts for the evening were Dalton Goulette, who was absolutely fantastic as "Alistair Maxwell." His facial expressions for this character were beyond brilliant. You couldn't help but watch him through this vignette, because the looks on his face were priceless. Bonnie Suvall's portrayal of "Evelyn Maxwell" and her continual descent into madness was as melodramatic as they come.
Alistair & Evelyn
In a touching moment with Russell Blackwood (an actor and director in the troupe), before the show began, Blackwood and his husband took the stage to annouce that 4 years ago that night, they had gotten married. Going to see a production by the ThrillPeddlers is like going to see those crazy neighbors you have grown so fond of. You know -- the ones that put out the best decorations at Halloween and Christmas. Go get shocked at Shocktoberfest before there last show on November 17, 2012.