Twin Cities Horror Festival XIII - Day Two: Doctor Clown, The Regular, Campfire Stories, and The Night Parade

Do you want to see something SCARY? Us too! Also, funny and charming and gory and creepy! Do join us at Twin Cities Horror Festival, now in its 13th fabulous year, running October 24 through November 3 at the Crane Theater.

This year, we are seeing all eleven shows in the festival. Check out our other reviews: TCHF XIII - Day One  and Day Three: 

Day Two, we spent nearly six hours at the Crane engrossed in delightful horror theater. Here's what we saw: 

It's the Spookiest Time of the Theater Year! Twin Cities Horror Festival Season XI

Updated 10/23/22

You've heard us sing the spooky praises of Twin Cities Horror Fest for years. Won't you join us this year for the most delightful, spooky, chilling, hilarious, gory theater you'll see all year? We've been expecting you...

Twin Cities Horror Festival VIII - Day Two

Frankenstein's monster and friends

On our second day at the Twin Cities Horror Festival, we saw three more shows.

Just to recap: Why We Love TCHF, Day One, our TCHF archives.

Friday. DAY TWO.

AMP: The Electrifying Story of Mary Shelley
The Obscura Factory

AMP featuring Jody Christopherson
Photo by Hunter Canning

AMP is written and performed by Jody Christopherson, a New York-based performer who last year brought St. Kilda to the Horror Festival. Last year's show had minimal staging, with Christopherson creating all of her own sound effects and musical accompaniment live. AMP again has just Christopherson on stage, but as she portrays Mary Shelley, recorded voices fill in as people in her life as if they are coming from her head. Her performance and the show are riveting, and made me want to read more about Shelley, her anarchist parents, and her marriage to Percy Bysshe Shelley. Bonus! Adorable bookstore flirting scene included. Also, a bit of book destruction. You've been warned.

The Feminine Inhuman
Erin Sheppard Presents/Monster Science

Feminine Inhuman - Erin Sheppard Presents & Matt Kessen
Photo by Dan Norman

Two Horror Fest favorites come together beautifully in this new show. Reverend Matt, in his amusingly educational style, introduces a number of mythological monsters identified as female, with plenty of insight into the fears that may have led storytellers to embellish these stories. After he describes a female monster, Erin Sheppard and her dancers perform a short piece illustrating and adding to the story. Sheppard's sometimes aggressive dances always tell a story, but the combination of the background info and the dance works wonderfully well. The dances often take a turn to the unexpected, even though we've just learned about the basic story. It's beautiful and entertaining. One of the vignettes that blends narration and dance perfectly is Kuchisake-Onna. As Reverend Matt narrates, Derek Meyer and Regan K. Saunders dance the chilling story of a malevolent Japanese spirit also known as the "slit-mouthed woman." Two things: Erin Sheppard's work is gorgeous and I wish we could see it more often, and Reverend Matt needs to have a podcast to share his vast monster knowledge and mellifluous voice. That is all.

We love the way Erin Sheppard's dancers run.
Photo by Dan Norman

Horror Show Hot Dog - Night One 
Short Film Festival

Horror Show Hot Dog official logo

Every year, the creators of the Horror Show Hot Dog podcast curate a selection of short horror films for TCHF. This year, they have five shows, each featuring different short films. In past years, they found most of the movies on YouTube, but as their profile has risen, this year's selections are almost all being exclusively shown at film festivals, and come from around the world. Theatergoers receive ballots, and a favorite for each night is chosen and announced on their Facebook page. Also, I just checked out the HSHD page, and the podcast has episodes about eight of the shows in this year's festival, which is an excellent way to learn more about the shows.

I (Jules) am not a big fan of horror movies, but I really enjoy the short films. I think it helps to know that I'm not going to be on the edge of my seat for more than 10 minutes at a time. But Carol, who loves horror films, also enjoys these a lot. We've seen two of this year's editions so far. Three to go!

I really do. -Carol

Night One featured: Service (dir. Theo Watkins) - in which self-service grocery store technology goes terribly wrong; Clicker (dir. Amanda Stoddard) - involves a small boy and the death of his cat; Lili (dir. Yfke van Berckelaer) - a fanfreakingtastic short about an audition that takes a surprising and satisfying turn; Marianne (dir. Matt Losasso) - which I literally do not remember watching; The Game of the Clock (dir. Michele Oliveri) - which involves a teenage girl, an alarm clock and a cat and mouse game; Puzzle (dir. Vincenzo Aiello) - a short, nearly silent film about a woman putting together a puzzle of her house with a surprising end; and Toe (dir. Chad Thurman and Neal O'Bryan) - a weird little short about a starving boy eating a toe, which I loved because it reminded me of Vincent by Tim Burton and those freaky Tool videos. Fun fun! The winner was Lili and rightfully so.

Coming up: Days Three and Four! Oh BOY!

MN Fringe 2019: Day ONE - Cults, Cons, Shakespeare, and DEATH

We leapt into the 2019 Minnesota Fringe Festival on Friday with a full line-up in Seven Corners/West Bank under the guidance of our friend Cherry and Spoon (who will see seventeen thousand shows--check her blog!).

A Cult Classic By Sheep Theater (Southern Theater)
"The world is really really loud and complicated" read the flyer we were handed as we entered the Southern Theater for Sheep Theater's tale of a doomsday cult. Despite focusing on Mindful Actualizationalism, members of the cult are lost when their leader is missing. They attempt their ultimate ascension (thanks to a foul Cosmic Elixir), but alas, things are not working out so well. A simple set, endearing and funny cast (well-loved by the wildly enthusiastic audience), and an interesting premise made this a great start to our Fringe.

Xena and Gabrielle Smash the Patriarchy By Mermaid Productions (Theatre in the Round)
That title! That promo picture! How could any fan of syndicated action dramas of the 1990s miss this show? We sure couldn't. The perfectly dressed and coiffed Ariel Leaf (as Xena) and Nissa Nordland Morgan (as Gabrielle) are going about their warrior princess and companion business, fighting off bad guys and whatnot, when they come into possession of Circe's magic cup. The cup transports them to a present-day SF/fantasy convention, where they are mistaken for really dedicated cosplayers. Suffice it to say, Xena and Gabrielle kick some ass. Whether it's con staff member Alpha (a hilarious Heather Meyer), unenlightened Ted (Matthew Kessen) who needs a little Xena schooling in his interactions with Leah (Elora Riley), and Coraline (Katie Starks), who is less than happy with Leah's slave girl ensemble, plus Richard "Doc" Woods and Nicholas Nelson, the cast is outstanding.

The script (by Nissa Nordland Morgan) includes plenty of deep show references, tons of fandom jokes, thoughtful exploration of issues, and even song and dance. Director Katy McEwen makes excellent use of the Theater in the Round space and the timing was tight, even at the first show. Whether you're a fan of Xena or not, this show is an utter delight with some excellent substance as well. (And if you are a fan, you will be DELIGHTED with a certain reveal halfway through the show.) Seriously, don't miss this. It's a treat and let's be honest: the patriarchy could use some serious smashing.

Measure4Measure By Rough Magic Performance Company (Southern Theater)
A six-woman cast performs this perfectly trimmed adaptation of William Shakespeare's Measure For Measure--as they call it, the original #MeToo play. Having just seen an excellent full production last season at American Players Theatre, we can say that this version covers all the important parts of the story while emphasizing the powerlessness of a woman against a powerful man. "Who would believe you?" is a chilling line every time it's uttered. Under Sarah Agnew's direction, the terrific cast includes Ashawnti Sakina Ford, Alayne Hopkins, Catherine Johnson Justice, and Mo Perry carrying the heavy drama, with welcome moments of levity from Elise Langer and Taj Ruler. It's a great production, whether you're familiar with the play, or need an introduction to this story. Also, we'd like to see this amazing cast perform all of the Shakespeare, please and thank you.

Reverend Matt's Monster Science Presents How to Come Back from the Dead by Monster Science Productions (Mixed Blood Theater)
If you follow our blog at all, you know we are big fans of Reverend Matt's Monster Science and his blend of well-researched monster lore, well-chosen images (in Powerpoint!), and crack comic timing. This time around, Rev. Matt gets in depth on how to achieve immortality, whether as a vampire, zombie, mummy or a variety of other obscure (but well-explained) creatures from a variety of cultures. Despite being billed (at the Fringe website) as a solo show, Rev. Matt (Matthew Kessen) has a new addition, junior Monster Scientist/graduate student/wannabe vampire (?) Elora Riley (Elora Riley). Although the idea of adding someone to play off of is an intriguing one for this often solo performer, to be honest, we felt that it reduced the amazing connection that Rev. Matt has with his audience and his fantastic solo timing. But that's a small quibble, as Rev. Matt's shows are always hilarious. (And when you see it, can we talk about a certain vampiric Mayberry-denizen joke that is GENIUS?)

And that is IT for Fringe: Day One (since they just REFUSE to do shows 24 hours a day--I guess artists need to sleep?)

TCHF VII: Reverend Matt's Monster Science - Demons of the Deep Blue Sea

Show: Demons of the Deep Blue Sea
By: Monster Science Productions

Krakens are the best. Look at him hug that ship!

Genre: Theater, Comedy, historical, non-fiction, storytelling

What's It All About:
"Rev. Matt’s infotational talks return! Get the historical background, comedy jokes, and PowerPoint that you need about the monsters we create and the fears they embody. This year, the first two dates will feature a talk about Old Nick, the First Among the Fallen, the history of the Christian Satan himself. And the last three will be a piece about sirens, krakens, Great Cthulhu, and other horrors of the deep blue sea!"

What We Thought:
Reverend Matt of Rev. Matt's Monster Science is presenting two shows at this year's Twin Cities Horror Festival: Sympathy for the Devil and Demons of the Deep Blue Sea. We've already gone on at considerable length about Rev. Matt and his Monster Science, who we first encountered at last year's TCHF. We've used the word delightful more times than we can count. We see his shows even when they are VERY LATE. What else is there to say?

We will say this: When Rev. Matt talks about cephalopods, his face lights up.

Many people can (and DO) talk about their passions endlessly, but Rev. Matt makes his passion (for monsters!) personal, relatable, informative and completely hilarious. His enthusiasm is endearing and infectious--especially for the topic of creatures of the sea, which is rich with mythological, historical, and literary wonder, plus a few Ray Harryhausen references.

In a Star Tribune article, Jason Ballweber of the TCHF says: "'You could talk to Reverend Matt all night if you just asked him, ‘Hey, what do you think about vampires?’" After seeing a Rev. Matt's Monster Science show, that's exactly what you want to do. Demons of the Deep Blue Sea is one of his most delightful shows. Don't miss it.

TCHF VII: Reverend Matt's Monster Science - Sympathy for the Devil

Show: Reverend Matt's Monster Science: Sympathy for the Devil
By: Monster Science Productions

Amazing photo by Kari Elizabeth Godfrey

Genre: Theater, comedy, historical, non-fiction, storytelling

What's It All About:
"Rev. Matt’s infotational talks return! Get the historical background, comedy jokes, and PowerPoint that you need about the monsters we create and the fears they embody. This year, the first two dates will feature a talk about Old Nick, the First Among the Fallen, the history of the Christian Satan himself. And the last three will be a piece about sirens, krakens, Great Cthulhu, and other horrors of the deep blue sea!'"

What We Thought:
Reverend Matt's Monster Science is becoming a Twin Cities institution, with a constantly-expanding array of hilarious, informative presentations about monsters. He has two shows at TCHF: Sympathy for the Devil (first two dates) and Demons of the Deep Blue Sea (remaining three shows). In Sympathy, Rev. Matt provides an in-depth look at depictions of Satan through the millennia with copious historical references. His trusty accompanying Powerpoint was particularly useful as some of the descriptions of the devil are truly bewildering (three heads? heads in stomachs?) This show made me wish for a syllabus--or at least a list of the complex names of the devil. (Or maybe not! Eek!)

Did we mention also the funny? One of the most unique aspects of Rev. Matt's particular brand of storytelling is his ability to add humor to a fairly academic presentation with only a quirk of an eyebrow or a well-timed shrug--in addition to superbly dry jokes, of course. The pop culture references are also a treat. We particularly loved seeing a favorite Harvey comics character pop up, which made us seriously rethink our childhood reading choices. Go see Rev. Matt. His delightful shows are a perfect intermezzo between more spooky offerings at the Twin Cities Horror Fest.

Side note: While I was writing this, this song came on my Halloween mix, so I'm sharing it with you. The incomparable Bessie Smith singing "Devil's Gonna Get You."

TCHF VI: Reverend Matt's Monster Science: Trinity of Terror

Show: Reverend Matt's Monster Science: Trinity of Terror

Genre: Theater/Spoken Word, Comedy / Non-fiction / Monsters

What's It All About:
"Rev. Matt’s talks present historical and mythological background, science facts, and comedy jokes about the monsters we create and the fears that they embody. Plus, Powerpoint! A different talk every night, each on a venerable monster later canonized by 20th-century cinema – 'How to Contract Lycanthropy,' 'Neck Romance,' and 'Frankenstein: D-Bag!'"

What We Thought:
We had no idea what to expect with this show--which is part of the joy of the Twin Cities Horror Fest, of course. Rev. Matt comes out looking the perfect part of the college professor, folder in hand, ready to discourse upon Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and, as he says, regale us with incredibly detailed trivia about monster movies. Fun, right?  The welcome surprise of this show is how freaking hilarious Rev. Matt's deadpan observations are. He had us, and the whole audience, right out the GATE.

Accompanied by some judicious use of Powerpoint and stellar comic timing, this show not only makes you laugh but you actually learn something (in spite of yourself). We definitely feel compelled to revisit the novel--or at least The War of the Gargantuas.