''A Midnight Visit'' is an Australian multi-sensory

immersive theatre Immersive theater differentiates itself from traditional theater by removing the stage and immersing audiences within the performance itself. Often, this is accomplished by using a specific location ('' site-specific''), allowing audiences to conv ...

experience based upon the works of

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...

. 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'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pierr ...

in 1996–1997.

Format

Typically transforming abandoned city warehouses into theatrical playgrounds, ''A Midnight Visit'' follows in the footsteps of internationally renowned

promenade theatre Site-specific theatre is a theatrical production that is performed at a unique, specially adapted location other than a standard theatre. This unique site may have been built without any intention of serving theatrical purposes (for example, a hote ...

projects such as New York's

Sleep No More (2011 play) ''Sleep No More'' is the New York City production of an immersive work of theatre created by British theatre company Punchdrunk. It is primarily based on William Shakespeare's '' Macbeth'', with inspiration also taken from noir films (especial ...

. 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 myste ...

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 "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1839 in ''Burton's Gentleman's Magazine'', then included in the collection ''Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque'' in 1840. The short story ...

''"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 Virginia Eliza Poe (née Clemm; August 15, 1822 – January 30, 1847) was the wife of American writer Edgar Allan Poe. The couple were first cousins and publicly married when Virginia Clemm was 13 and Poe was 27. Biographers disagree as to the n ...

- "''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 "The Balloon-Hoax" is the title used in collections and anthologies of a newspaper article by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1844 in ''The Sun'' newspaper in New York. Originally presented as a true story, it detailed Europe ...

Berenice Berenice ( grc, Βερενίκη, ''Bereníkē'') is the Ancient Macedonian form of the Attic Greek name ''Pherenikē'', which means "bearer of victory" . Berenika, priestess of Demeter in Lete ca. 350 BC, is the oldest epigraphical evidence. ...

* The Black Cat *

The Cask of Amontillado "The Cask of Amontillado" (sometimes spelled "The Casque of Amontillado" ) is a short story by 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 cit ...

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 was bitten by a gold-colored bug. His servant Jupiter fears that Legrand is going insane and goes to Legrand's friend, an ...

Hop-Frog "Hop-Frog" (originally "Hop-Frog; Or, the Eight Chained Ourang-Outangs") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1849. The title character, a person with dwarfism taken from his homeland, becomes the jester of a kin ...

Ligeia "Ligeia" () is an early short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1838. The story follows an unnamed narrator and his wife Ligeia, a beautiful and intelligent raven-haired woman. She falls ill, composes "The Conqueror Wor ...

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 plagu ...

* Morella *

MS. Found in a Bottle "MS. Found in a Bottle" is an 1833 short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. The plot follows an unnamed narrator at sea who finds himself in a series of harrowing circumstances. As he nears his own disastrous death while his ship drives ev ...

* The Murders in the Rue Morge *

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket ''The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket'' (1838) is the only complete novel written by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. The work relates the tale of the young Arthur Gordon Pym, who stows away aboard a whaling ship called the ''Grampus' ...

* The Oval Portrait *

The Pit and the Pendulum "The Pit and the Pendulum" is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe and first published in 1842 in the literary annual ''The Gift: A Christmas and New Year's Present for 1843''. The story is about the torments endured by a prisoner of ...

A Predicament "A Predicament" is a humorous short story by Edgar Allan Poe, usually combined with its companion piece "How to Write a Blackwood Article". It was originally titled "The Scythe of Time". The paired stories parody the Gothic sensation tale, popula ...

Some Words with a Mummy "Some Words with a Mummy" is a satirical short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. It was first published in '' The American Review: A Whig Journal of Politics, Literature, Art and Science'' in April 1845. It is recognized as an important earl ...

* 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 related by an unnamed narrator who endeavors to convince the reader of the narrator's sanity while simultaneously describing a murder the n ...

Poems by Edgar Allan Poe

A Dream Within a Dream "A Dream Within a Dream" is a poem written by American poet Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1849. The poem has 24 lines, divided into two stanzas. Analysis The poem dramatizes the confusion felt by the narrator as he watches the important th ...

* Alone *

Annabel Lee "Annabel Lee" is the last complete poem composed by American author Edgar Allan Poe. Like many of Poe's poems, it explores the theme of the death of a beautiful woman.Meyers, Jeffrey. ''Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy''. New York: Cooper Squ ...

* The Bells *

The City in the Sea :The City in the Sea ''is also the title of a science fiction novel by Wilson Tucker'' "The City in the Sea" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. The final version was published in 1845, but an earlier version was published as "The Doomed City" in 1831 ...

* Bridal Ballad *

The Conqueror Worm "The Conqueror Worm" is a poetry, poem by Edgar Allan Poe about human mortality and the inevitability of death. It was first published separately in ''Graham's Magazine'' in 1843, but quickly became associated with Poe's short story "Ligeia" afte ...

* Deep in Earth * Dream-Land * Fairy-Land * For Annie * The Happiest Hour * The Lake * Lenore *

Tamerlane Timur ; chg, ''Aqsaq Temür'', 'Timur the Lame') or as ''Sahib-i-Qiran'' ( 'Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction'), his epithet. ( chg, ''Temür'', 'Iron'; 9 April 133617–19 February 1405), later Timūr Gurkānī ( chg, ''Temür Kür ...

Ulalume "Ulalume" () is a poem written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1847. Much like a few of Poe's other poems (such as " The Raven", " Annabel Lee", and " Lenore"), "Ulalume" focuses on the narrator's loss of his beloved due to her death. Poe originally wrote t ...

Other works

* Angel of Mine (traditional) *

Confide in Me "Confide in Me" is a song recorded by Australian singer Kylie Minogue, taken from her Kylie Minogue (album), self-titled fifth studio album (1994). It was released as the album's lead single on 29 August 1994 by Deconstruction Records, Deconstr ...

(Kylie Minogue) * David Attenborough special on Orangutans * Hail Mary (traditional) * I Know a Noble Heart that Beats ( Fanny Osgood) * Maria Clem to

Neilson Poe Judge Neilson Poe (August 11, 1809 - January 4, 1884) was an American judge for the City of Baltimore's orphan's court, (now referred to as a probate court). He was initially appointed to the court by Maryland Governor John Lee Carroll in 1878 an ...

, private letter *

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...

(Shakespeare) * Philosophy of Religion (Thomas Dick) *

Romeo & Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...

(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 novel by Bret Easton Ellis, published in 1991. The story is told in the first person by Patrick Bateman, a serial killer and Manhattan investment banker. Alison Kelly of ''The Observer'' notes that while "some countr ...

Basic Instinct ''Basic Instinct'' is a 1992 neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. The film follows San Francisco police detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), who is investigating the brutal murder of a wealt ...

* The Birds *

Beetlejuice ''Beetlejuice'' is a 1988 American fantasy horror comedy film directed by Tim Burton, written by Michael McDowell, Larry Wilson, and Warren Skaaren, produced by The Geffen Company, distributed by Warner Bros., and starring Alec Baldwin, ...

Carrie Carrie may refer to: People * Carrie (name), a female given name and occasionally a surname Places in the United States * Carrie, Kentucky, an unincorporated community * Carrie, Virginia, an unincorporated community * Carrie Glacier, Olympic Nati ...

* 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 fiancée at t ...

Dracula ''Dracula'' is a novel by Bram Stoker, published in 1897. As an epistolary novel, the narrative is related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist, but opens with solicitor Jonathan Harker taking ...

The Evil Dead ''The Evil Dead'' is a 1981 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi, produced by Robert Tapert and executive produced by Raimi, Tapert, and Bruce Campbell, who also starred alongside Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeMan ...

The Exorcist ''The Exorcist'' is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin and written for the screen by William Peter Blatty, based on his 1971 novel of the same name. It stars Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty W ...

Flatliners ''Flatliners'' is a 1990 American psychological horror film directed by Joel Schumacher, produced by Michael Douglas and Rick Bieber, and written by Peter Filardi. It stars Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, William Baldwin, Oliver Platt, and Ke ...

* The Fly *

Heathers ''Heathers'' is a 1989 American black comedy 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, Kim Walker, and ...

* 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 Landr ...

* It *

King Kong King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...

The Lost Boys ''The Lost Boys'' is a 1987 American supernatural black comedy horror film directed by Joel Schumacher, produced by Harvey Bernhard with a screenplay written by Jeffrey Boam, Janice Fischer and James Jeremias, from a story by Fischer and Jeremia ...

* Misery *

Mulholland Drive Mulholland Drive is a street and road in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California. It is named after pioneering Los Angeles civil engineer William Mulholland. The western rural portion in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties is nam ...

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 Spencer ...

Penny Dreadful Penny dreadfuls were cheap popular serial literature produced during the nineteenth century in the United Kingdom. The pejorative term is roughly interchangeable with penny horrible, penny awful, and penny blood. The term typically referred to ...

The People Under the Stairs ''The People Under the Stairs'' is a 1991 American horror comedy film written and directed by Wes Craven and starring Brandon Adams, Everett McGill, Wendy Robie, and A. J. Langer. The plot follows a young boy and two adult robbers who become tra ...

* Pet Semetary *

Poltergeist In ghostlore, a poltergeist ( or ; German for "rumbling ghost" or "noisy spirit") 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 descr ...

* 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 by ...

Twin Peaks ''Twin Peaks'' is an American Mystery fiction, mystery serial drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on American Broadcasting Company, ABC on April 8, 1990, and originally ran for two seasons until its cance ...

Music

Adagio in G Minor Adagio in G minor for strings and organ, also known as Adagio in Sol minore per archi e organo su due spunti tematici e su un basso numerato di Tomaso Albinoni (Mi 26), is a neo-Baroque composition commonly attributed to the 18th-century Veneti ...

(T. Albinoni) *

Applause Applause (Latin ''applaudere,'' to strike upon, clap) is primarily a form of ovation or praise expressed by the act of clapping, or striking the palms of the hands together, in order to create noise. Audiences usually applaud after a performance ...

(Lady Gaga, Dino Zisis, Julien Arias, Martin Bresso, Nick Monson, Nicolas Mercier, Paul Blair, William Grigaheine) *

Chandelier A chandelier (; also known as girandole, candelabra lamp, or least commonly suspended lights) is a branched ornamental light fixture designed to be mounted on ceilings or walls. Chandeliers are often ornate, and normally use incandescent li ...

(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 amusement facility found on amusement park and funfair midways and is where patrons encounter and interact with various devices designed to surprise, challenge, and amuse them. Unlike thrill rides or dark rides, fu ...

- 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 new wave 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 ...

(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 "The show must go on" is a phrase in show business, meaning that regardless of what happens, whatever show has been planned still has to be staged for the waiting patrons. There is no evidence to suggest that it is the abbreviation of a longer phra ...

(Queen, Brian May, Freddie Mercury, John Deacon, Roger Taylor) *

When I am Laid in Earth Dido's Lament is the aria "When I am laid in earth" from the opera ''Dido and Aeneas'' by Henry Purcell ( libretto by Nahum Tate). It is included in many classical music textbooks on account of its exemplary use of the passus duriusculus i ...

, 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 Fringe World, formerly Fringe World Festival, is an annual multi-arts fringe festival held in Perth, Western Australia during the city's summer festival season of January/February. The annual program of events features artists and acts from a r ...

, 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 norther ...

, 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 Australian plays Adaptations of works by Edgar Allan Poe