“Paranormal Activity,” playing at the August Wilson Theatre on W 52nd Street, is the scariest time I’ve ever had in a Broadway theater. Playwright Levi Holloway takes the audience on a wild ride that will have you on the edge of your seat, stunned, captivated, shocked, and often screaming.
He introduces us to James (Jimmy) and his wife of almost a year, Lou, now living in their London home. Former residents of Chicago, Lou and Jimmy are trying to start a new life and escape something dark, haunting, and sinister, but they come to realize that houses are not haunted; people are.
Both Lou and Jimmy have had disturbing things happen in their past that they are trying to escape — but of course, one cannot escape one’s actions or the consequences that can come with them.
This production has great special effects and scenes that will shock you, defy reason, have you literally jumping in your seat, gasping in horror and dismay, and doing so regularly with the majority of the audience. It was like sitting on the set of a horror film and seeing everything live, up-close, and personal. At times, maybe a little too up-close, but what an experience.
I won’t share details of the storyline because for me the greatest pleasure was the first-time experience of this tale. I cannot stress the importance of not sharing the storyline and details with others. There is something so splendidly innocent and naïve in witnessing this engaging, creative, well-thought-out, and executed storyline without any notions of what is about to happen.
The cast is flawless. Travis A. Knight is stupendous as Jimmy. His character has a lot of layers and deals with inner conflicts, and he skillfully maneuvers through various emotions and allows you to feel his pain. The chemistry between Knight and Cher Alvarez, his co-star who plays Lou, is electric. Their engagement is quite passionate. Alvarez brings depth, desperation, but also vulnerability to her role, that you cannot help but empathize with her plight. Shannon Cochran is diabolical as Carolanne, Jimmy’s mother, who keeps sticking her nose into their affairs and badgering them for grandchildren.
Eva Kaminsky is brilliant, scary, and convincing as Etheline Cotgrave, a woman who does a podcast about ghosts and tries to assist this couple with their problem. Bobby J. Howlett is versatile and priceless as the Ensemble. Felix Barrett’s direction is spot-on perfection. With the twists and turns that happen in this production, often, audience members gasped together, screamed together, and suddenly leaned back in their seats simultaneously.
Visit paranormalbroadway.com for more info.
