The House of Usher Girls School eagerly awaits your arrival.
The Girls School’s most troubled young ghost, Lizzie Reid, invites you on a journey to the edge of madness. Explore a dreamworld of shadows, guilt, foreboding and impermanence – conjured from the grave through Lizzie’s obsession with poet and author Edgar Allan Poe.
A Midnight Visit is a surreal and immersive Fringe event that is half theatre, half haunted house. Set in the hallowed halls of the old Girls School, A Midnight Visit consists of three storeys of morbid fascinations and beguiling phantasms. Each room makes reference to one of Poe’s most celebrated works, including The Black Cat, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Cask of Amontillado, paying eerie homage to the grandfather of gothic horror.
Despite the premise of a mad ghost girl, the performance becomes primarily the tale of a harried Poe stumbling through a dreamscape, haunted by his own creations. The further down the rabbit hole you venture, the more unsettling the imagery becomes, delving deep into the psyche to the edge of madness. There are some deeply seductive and borderline erotic vibes, and the macabre imagery is simultaneously unsettling, intriguing and at times very beautiful. A Midnight Visit is an exploration of the absurd that is so rarely accessible in adult life.
No corners have been cut, and the entire experience is very well executed. The costuming is high quality, and the performers’ dedication to their roles aims to provide a truly immersive experience. The attention to detail and the sheer scale of the production is commendable, with room upon room excellently decorated.
The freedom to move and interact however you please (for the most part) makes A Midnight Visit a highly individualised and unique experience for each guest. Prepare to be separated from the people you arrive with, and while it’s somewhat annoying, this aspect definitely causes more excitement and fear, allowing you a more heightened experience with the added factor of being alone. With so much to discover, you’ll be glad that you’re offered the chance to remain ‘in the dream’ for as long as you wish, exploring every room and uncovering every secret and hidden passage.
It’s a good idea to book as early on the night as possible, as the rooms becomes crowded with groups being let in every half an hour, many choosing to remain inside ‘the dream’ once the Masque of the Red Death inspired finale gala has taken place.
If you only go to one Fringe event this year, this one well worth the price of admission.
A Midnight Visit is on at the Girls School in East Perth until March 3rd. You can purchase tickets here.
