Deep in the mansion-filled neighborhoods of Los Angeles lies a mysterious manor with a horrible secret. The fine people from Just Fix It Productions who brought to life the cerebral haunt CreepLA the last two years have come back with a brand new show going on right now!
Before we go any further, we want to make it clear that we were invited to a dress rehearsal, but couldn’t make it to the actual press night. This review is based on an incredibly early staging and the show may have changed since then. That said it was too exciting of an experience to not share, so here goes nothing.
A mysterious invitation to a dinner party comes through our email with the quote “It’s ok to be selective, not just anyone deserves a seat at our table.” We were told to meet at a random corner, along with a dress code. When we arrive at the corner, we are happy to see friends from other haunt sites there as well. After waiting at said random corner in an affluent neighborhood in Los Angeles, Justin Fix, the creator of The Willows, greets us all personally. He then blindfolds us and puts us in a van to take us to the location. Once we arrive, it is clear that this is no ordinary dinner party.
I won’t go into what actually happens in the show, but the house is amazingly beautiful, haunting, and it’s own character in the show. The small cast of seven take the party guests through a two and a half hour show, taking the time to interact with each and every audience member. The cast is the main event here, delivering wonderfully intimate performances, and seem to have such a grasp on the characters in such a short time, they truly felt like real people.
This isn’t a show you should think about going to, this is a show you have to go to. The Willows is a show that has the potential to become a benchmark in non-Halloween horror immersive theater. Whatever the ticket price is, it is worth the price. There are drinks and light snacks included, and the experience unlike anything else. The team of Justin Fix, Daniel Montgomery, and Fiona Rene is a well-oiled creative machine that can do no wrong, or at least they haven’t come close yet.
We hope to go see the show again now that it is fully developed (cough, cough Justin) and so should all of you. There are only a few shows currently which are all sold out. If you want to experience The Willowsthen we highly recommend you sign up to their email list.
