''A Midnight Visit'' is an Australian multi-sensory
immersive theatre experience based upon the works of
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales involving mystery and the macabre. He is widely re ...
. The audience walks at their own pace through a variety of
theatrically designed rooms featuring adult concepts, uneven floors, small and large spaces, and low-level lighting. Finding themselves as co-creators of their own experience, audiences are transported into a macabre dream world, and negotiate encounters with peculiar characters who sing, act, dance and even perform circus aerials.
Production
Created in 2018 by Kirsten Siddle and Danielle Harvey of theatre company Broad Encounters, the production has toured sold-out shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane. Sydney (03 Oct 2018 - 09 Dec 2018)
* Perth "House of Usher Girls School" (24 Jan 2019 - 04 Mar 2019)
* Melbourne (30 Jul 2019 - 18 Nov 2019)
* Brisbane (30 Jul 2021 - 30 Jan 2022)
In November 2021 it became Brisbane's longest running theatre production breaking the record held by
The Phantom of the Opera The Phantom of the Opera may refer to:
Novel
* The Phantom of the Opera (novel), ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (novel), 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux
Characters
* Erik (The Phantom of the Opera), Erik (''The Phantom of the Opera''), the title char ...
in 1996–1997.
Format
Typically transforming abandoned city warehouses into theatrical playgrounds, ''A Midnight Visit'' follows in the footsteps of internationally renowned
promenade theatre projects such as New York's
Sleep No More (2011 play). With more than 10 hours of simultaneous performance in each 60 to 70 minute viewing, a site production can be set over 2500 square metres and involve up to 250 creators.
''"Part choose your own adventure, part performance, part film-set, part playground, part sound world. Set in an abandoned warehouse over two floors and more than 30 rooms... a multi-sensory and magnificently macabre experience, A Midnight Visit invites you to explore a dark dreamworld of thrills, obsession, decadence and awe. All senses will be tantilised - even (especially?) the sixth."''
There is over 30+ rooms each in the various iterations with the latest Brisbane production having 36 rooms.
Characters
Core characters
Characters that have been in every iteration of the show include:
Edgar Allan Poe
''"Our tortured dreamer in A Midnight Visit. Each room brings him face to face with ghosts from his past and the creatures of his imagination. Madness is sure to take him!"''
The Raven
Based on
The Raven
"The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a distraught lover who is paid a visit ...
narrative poem.
''"The charismatic human-animal hybrid stalks the residents and visitors of A Midnight Visit as the incarnation of death and guilt. Beware the mischief maker…"''
Madeline Usher
Character from
The Fall of the House of Usher
''"Stuck in a sick and twisted relationship with her brother, her body and mind begin to deteriorate. Be careful, behind the laughing mouth are sharp teeth"''
Rodrick Usher
Character from The Fall of the House of Usher.
"''A hypochondriac gothic dandy. Fearful and crazy, plotting, or is he remembering, his twin sister… entombed alive…"''
The Actress
''"Representing the ‘fatalistic dead woman’ prevalent in literature and film. Our Actress shapeshifts through classic texts – how many will you know? She lives for the applause. She may die when it stops. Adore her, The Actress, a shapeshifting beauty with a sinister streak."''
Ligeia (The Nurse)
''"A cruel nurse who runs a tight ship, or a former patient? A nightly metamorphosis occurs as Ligeia sheds her old skin to begin again."''
The King
''"Sometimes a king full of bravado and beer, and sometimes an orangutan full of fury. The King is powerful, egotistical and temperamental."''
Amalgamation of several characters/figures/ideas in Poe's work, but does act as the King from the Hop Frog short story.
Additional characters
Characters that do not appear in every production:
*
Virginia Poe - "''The young and innocent wife and first-cousin of Poe. We find the muse Virginia singing and dying a bloody death on endless repeat''."
*
Hop Frog - "''Jester to The King, enjoy his tricks and merriment but remember, they are but a momentary diversion of the true horrors that await us all. He can see who you really are…"''
*
Detective Dupin - ''"The ultimate game player likes to get up close and personal with his work. But has he gone too far? In knowing the criminal mind, has reason and motive now left the building?"''
*
The Black Cat - "''Sneaky, slinky and strong, the Cat will help guide you through the maze of spaces. Follow at your own risk. Deeper and darker you will journey. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble..."''
* The Undertaker
* Lizzie Reid - a school girl character that was specific to the Perth production, utilising the Old Perth Girls School as the venue. "''School Girl Lizzie Reid reads a lot of Poe. She dreams about The Raven. She hallucinates tombs and bloodied teeth. Now dead, she has dragged Poe and his phantasms out of the shadow world."''
Seasonal sharacters
During shows around Halloween, additional performers and characters were added to the temporarily to the production including:
* The Scarlet Prince
* Alice and Alice
* Isabel of Fairyland
* The Sailor
*
Monsieur Mallard (The Doctor)
Cast
* denotes performers/characters that made special appearances for Halloween season shows.
** Tom Oliver was called in short notice to temporarily perform the role of Rodrick Usher following cast absences due to COVID-19.
Works referenced
Fiction by Edgar Allan Poe
*
The Balloon-Hoax
*
Berenice
*
The Black Cat
*
The Cask of Amontillado
"The Cask of Amontillado" is a short story by the American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in the November 1846 issue of ''Godey's Lady's Book''. The story, set in an unnamed Italy, Italian city at carnival time, is about a man taking fa ...
*
The Fall of the House of Usher
*
The Gold-Bug
"The Gold-Bug" is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe published in 1843. The plot follows William Legrand, who becomes fixated on an unusual gold-colored bug he has discovered. His servant Jupiter fears that Legrand is going insan ...
*
Hop-Frog
*
Ligeia
*
The Masque of the Red Death
"The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plag ...
*
Morella
*
MS. Found in a Bottle
*
The Murders in the Rue Morge
*
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
''The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket'', written and published in 1838, is the only complete novel by the American writer Edgar Allan Poe. The novel is set between 1827 and 1828 and relates the tale of the young Arthur Gordon Pym, wh ...
*
The Oval Portrait
*
The Pit and the Pendulum
*
A Predicament
*
Some Words with a Mummy
*
The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Ferther
*
The Tell-Tale Heart
"The Tell-Tale Heart" is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1843. It is told by an unnamed narrator who endeavors to convince the reader of the narrator's sanity while simultaneously describing a murder the nar ...
Poems by Edgar Allan Poe
*
A Dream Within a Dream
* Alone
*
Annabel Lee
*
The Bells
*
The City in the Sea
* Bridal Ballad
*
The Conqueror Worm
* Deep in Earth
* Dream-Land
* Fairy-Land
* For Annie
* The Happiest Hour
* The Lake
*
Lenore
*
The Raven
"The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a distraught lover who is paid a visit ...
*
Tamerlane
Timur, also known as Tamerlane (1320s17/18 February 1405), was a Turco-Mongol tradition, Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timuri ...
*
Ulalume
Other works
* Angel of Mine (traditional)
*
Confide in Me (Kylie Minogue)
* David Attenborough special on Orangutans
* Hail Mary (traditional)
* I Know a Noble Heart that Beats (
Fanny Osgood)
* Maria Clem to
Neilson Poe, private letter
*
Othello
''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...
(Shakespeare)
* Philosophy of Religion (Thomas Dick)
*
Romeo & Juliet
''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...
(Shakespeare)
* To- (
Sarah Whitman)
* Valentine Poem (Virginia Poe)
* Your Heart is a Music-box, dearest! (Fanny Osgood)
Films (quoted by The Actress)
*
American Psycho
''American Psycho'' is a black comedy horror novel by American writer Bret Easton Ellis, published in 1991. The story is told in the First-person narrative, first-person by Patrick Bateman, a wealthy, narcissistic, and vain Manhattan investmen ...
*
Basic Instinct
''Basic Instinct'' is a 1992 erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. Starring Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Wayne Knight, the film follows the detective Nick ...
*
The Birds
*
Beetlejuice
''Beetlejuice'' is a 1988 American Gothic film, gothic dark fantasy comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by Michael McDowell (author), Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren based on a story by McDowell and Larry Wilson (sc ...
*
Carrie
*
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
*
The Crow
''The Crow'' is a supernatural superhero comic book series created by James O'Barr revolving around the titular character of the same name. The series, which was originally created by O'Barr as a means of dealing with the death of his fiancà ...
*
Dracula
''Dracula'' is an 1897 Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. The narrative is Epistolary novel, related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist and opens ...
*
The Evil Dead
''The Evil Dead'' is a 1981 American independent film, independent supernatural horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi (in his feature directorial debut). The film stars Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker ...
*
The Exorcist
''The Exorcist'' is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin from a screenplay by William Peter Blatty, based on The Exorcist (novel), his 1971 novel. The film stars Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller (play ...
*
Flatliners
*
The Fly
*
Heathers
''Heathers'' is a 1988 American teen dark comedy crime film written by Daniel Waters and directed by Michael Lehmann, in both of their respective film debuts. The film stars Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, K ...
*
Herditary
*
Get Out
''Get Out'' is a 2017 American psychological horror film written, co-produced, and directed by Jordan Peele in his directorial debut. It stars Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Lil Rel Howery, LaKeith Stanfield, Bradley Whitford, Caleb ...
*
It
*
King Kong
King Kong, also referred to simply as Kong, is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. The character has since become an international pop culture icon,Erb, Cynthia, 1998, ''Tracking Kin ...
*
The Lost Boys
*
Misery
*
Mulholland Drive
*
The Omen
''The Omen'' is a 1976 supernatural horror film directed by Richard Donner and written by David Seltzer. An international co-production of the United Kingdom and the United States, it stars Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner, Harvey Sp ...
*
Penny Dreadful
Penny dreadfuls were cheap popular Serial (literature), serial literature produced during the 19th century in the United Kingdom. The pejorative term is roughly interchangeable with penny horrible, penny awful, and penny blood. The term typical ...
*
The People Under the Stairs
''The People Under the Stairs'' is a 1991 American comedy horror film written and directed by Wes Craven, and starring Brandon Adams, Everett McGill, Wendy Robie, A. J. Langer and Ving Rhames. The plot follows a young boy and two adult robbers ...
*
Pet Semetary
*
Poltergeist
In German folklore and ghostlore, a poltergeist ( or ; ; or ) is a type of ghost or spirit that is responsible for physical disturbances, such as loud noises and objects being moved or destroyed. Most claims or fictional descriptions of polter ...
*
Psycho
*
The Sixth Sense
''The Sixth Sense'' is a 1999 American psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It stars Bruce Willis as a child psychologist whose patient ( Haley Joel Osment) claims he can see and talk to the dead.
Released ...
*
Twin Peaks
''Twin Peaks'' is an American Surrealist cinema, surrealist Mystery film, mystery-Horror film, horror Drama (film and television), drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It Pilot (Twin Peaks), premiered on American Broad ...
Music
*
Adagio in G Minor (T. Albinoni)
*
Applause (Lady Gaga, Dino Zisis, Julien Arias, Martin Bresso, Nick Monson, Nicolas Mercier, Paul Blair, William Grigaheine)
*
Chandelier
A chandelier () is an ornamental lighting device, typically with spreading branched supports for multiple lights, designed to be hung from the ceiling. Chandeliers are often ornate, and they were originally designed to hold candles, but now inca ...
(Sia & J. Shatkin)
*
Creep (Radiohead, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Jonny Greenwood, Philip Selway, Thom Yorke)
*
Every Breath You Take
"Every Breath You Take" is a song by the English rock band the Police from their album ''Synchronicity'' (1983). Written by Sting, the single was the biggest US and Canadian hit of 1983, topping the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart for ei ...
(Sting)
*
Funhouse
A funhouse or fun house is an attraction found in amusement parks and funfair midways, equipped with various devices designed to surprise, challenge, or amuse visitors. Unlike thrill rides or dark rides, fun houses are participatory attractio ...
- Digital Dog Remix (P!nk, Tony Kamal, Jimmy Harry)
* I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls (M. W. Balfe & A. Bunn)
*
I Want You (Elvis Costello)
* Komm, suer Tod, komm selge ruh BVW 478 'Come sweet death, come, blessed rest' (J.S. Bach)
*
One Way or Another
"One Way or Another" is a song by American rock band Blondie from their 1978 album ''Parallel Lines''. Lyrically, the song was inspired by Blondie frontwoman Deborah Harry's experience with a stalker in the early 1970s, an incident which for ...
(D. Harry & N. Harrison)
*
SHOTS (LMFAO, Lil John, Eric D-Lux, J. Smith, S. A. Gordy, Stefan Kendal Gordy, E. Delatorre)
*
Stay (Shakspears Sister), Siobahn Fahey, Marcella Detroit, David A. Stewart)
*
Sucker For Pain (Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons)
* Symphonie fantastique. Op. 14 (H. Berlioz)
*
The Show Must Go On (Queen, Brian May, Freddie Mercury, John Deacon, Roger Taylor)
*
When I am Laid in Earth, Dido & Aeneas (H. Purcell)
Reception
A Midnight Visit is Broad Encounters’ first large-scale work, winning Concrete Playground's Best New Event of 2018 for Australia and New Zealand.
The 2019 Perth iteration of the production, as part of
Fringe World, was awarded four and half stars by Simon Collins of
The West Australian
''The West Australian'' is the only locally edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia. It is owned by Seven West Media (SWM), as is the state's other major newspaper, ''The Sunday Times''. It is the second-oldest continuousl ...
. "''Ninety minutes was barely enough time to explore this lurid, chaotic, enchanting and voyeuristic world. No two experiences are the same''."
The Age
''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...
wrote a four star review of the 2019 Melbourne production. "''As an homage to Poe, you couldn't ask for more."''
The extended 2021 season in Brisbane was lauded by Phil Brown, Arts Editor of
The Courier Mail
''The Courier-Mail'' is an Australian newspaper published in Brisbane. Owned by News Corp Australia, it is published daily from Monday to Saturday in tabloid format. Its editorial offices are located at Bowen Hills, in Brisbane's inner northern ...
, as, "''An incredibly enriching experience. You will never have seen anything like this before, I promise. It's a blast!''".
References
External links
A Midnight Visit - Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Midnight Visit, A
2018 plays
2010s Australian plays
Cultural depictions of Edgar Allan Poe
Works based on The Fall of the House of Usher
Works based on The Raven