Review: ‘House of Spirits’ Tells a Tremendously Terrifying Tale at the Nocturne Theatre

Meyer2Meyer Entertainment and events juggernaut Fever have joined forces to present a delightfully hair-raising odyssey through rooms, floors, and nooks galore utilizing all 14,000 square feet of the renovated Nocturne Theatre (formerly the Glendale Center Theatre) in Glendale, Calif.

The production is House of Spirits: A Haunted Cocktail Soirée, and it isn’t just any Halloween haunt — no, absolutely not. This is a trek through space and time where both hordes of guests (who are urged to dress up aligned with their favorite historical period) and 32 actors embark in style on an immersive two-hour adventure where communication and roaming exploration don’t just happen, they’re highly encouraged.

Creating this simultaneously safe and thrilling experience are Justin and Melissa Meyer (comprising Meyer2Meyer), a husband-and-wife power couple who have resuscitated and reinvigorated the in-the-round theater that became insolvent during the pandemic after having regaled attendees on N. Orange St. since 1964.

Over the last few years, Justin has regularly directed the Nocturne’s musical extravaganzas (sometimes also starring) and Melissa has applied her inspired choreography to them. From Into the Woods, to The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Beauty and the Beast, Cabaret, and more, the Meyers, as well as exceedingly imaginative costume designer Tanya Cyr, have visually improved upon renowned classics. With colorful touches here, some gothic-inclined touches there, everything feels more ever-present, imposing, and full of vitality whether Meyer2Meyer’s performers are bathed in a spotlight or standing next to nocturnal shadows.

So, it stands to reason that during this fall season there is much to be bowled over by upon entering the venue and taking in the curious ghostly sights, each one beckoning an utterance of words, perhaps yielding clues into the evening’s cryptic narrative, the title of which immediately curries interest: the “Tale of Casa Vega.” The premise is simple — Francisco and Molly, a loving couple, have tragically lost their child Little Magpie whose untimely death is as puzzling as it is an invitation to discover more. Decorated with aesthetics that are an homage to spooky Spanish legends and romantic painter Francisco Goya’s Black Paintings, the home of the grieving and agonized couple is unwelcomingly occupied by seemingly sinister specters.

As appealing as the ambiance is, make no mistake about it — this is an adults-only excursion. The reasons more than justify the exclusivity, too. There are screams, scantily clad cast members, not to mention full-frontal nudity, and alcoholic offerings — specifically four mini-cocktails (“Little Magpie,” “Goya’s Ghost,” “The Delmont,” and “The Poppet”) retrievable from four bars arrayed on the premises; fortunately, these vodka, gin, scotch, and tequila-based tasters come with even the basic-tier ticket option, the “Bronze.” The “Silver” tier is boosted by an additional cocktail among the quartet of beverages, and the fanciest tier, the “Gold,” is accompanied by not only five libations, but an expedited, front-of-the-line entry and seductive chocolates bequeathed by chocolate demons. (Visitors will present tarot cards to bartenders and fiends, who make strikethrough markings to track allotments.)

The mixed drinks would be popular menu items at any famed gastropub as they embody an array of guava, ginger, lime, and lychee flavor profiles; suffice it to say, they’re entrancingly sweet. Plus, what understandably trepidatious soul wouldn’t want a little liquid courage to sip on as personal investigations into myriad phenomena are begun and potentially resolved?

Certainly, that’s where all the frightful fun is. In the auditorium, an acrobat contorts herself around a suspended ring, an inscrutable figure is locked in a cage, and dancers move about with ominous eroticism in their glowing costumes. It is also in the theatre itself (or up the staircase) where several paths can be taken at one’s own discretion. There is a spine-chilling, mirror-laden séance room; the all-consuming “Ceremony” featuring more than one out-of-body shock to the senses; a second-floor room accented by a gargantuan Ouija board (and its peculiar whims prompted by requests into a microphone); a nearby magician (the stupendous Jeff Black) dazzling with sleights of hand; and a cabaret chamber where an unholy chanteuse (flanked by her facially occluded pianist) breathes new life into souls with enlivening renditions of Britney Spears’s “Toxic,” NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye,” and the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” among other hits.

The ultimate attraction, however, might be a “Creature Challenge” where unsuspecting passersby encounter ghastly goblins in a winding labyrinth chock-full of captivating props and meticulously embellished wall recesses, the goal being to collect four trinkets and unearth answers that remain pertinaciously hidden. Pointed questions asked of the dispersed spirits will go a long way in unlocking a mystery rife with horror, sensuality, and gustatory satisfaction.

Overall, it’s not difficult to imagine why House of Spirits has possessed the hearts of Halloween enthusiasts not only in Glendale, but in cities across the nation like Seattle, San Francisco, and Dallas. Visionaries Justin and Melissa Meyer, in partnership with Fever, have concocted an inventive and fulfilling sojourn to an interactively stirring realm that will hauntingly lurk in the backs of minds until it makes its decidedly anticipated return in 2025.

Cover image caption: A cast member in the House of Spirits: A Haunted Cocktail Soirée, which can be experienced at the Nocturne Theatre in Glendale, CA. Photo credit: Meyer2Meyer Entertainment and Fever

The House of Spirits: A Haunted Cocktail Soirée runs through only Saturday, Nov. 2nd at the Nocturne Theatre (324 N. Orange St, Glendale, CA 91203). For more information on entry times and tickets, visit houseofspiritssoiree.com.