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: Greenway

Show: Greenway
By: Tom Reed

Genre: Theater, Survival, Suspense

What's It All About:
"Late on a crisp fall night, a bike commuter’s worst nightmare comes true. Eva is riding alone on the Greenway bike path - a dark trench lit only by her bike light - and something unfriendly starts following her. And it's catching up. And she can’t pedal any faster. And her light just died."

What We Thought:
So far, Greenway is the spookiest show at the Twin Cities Horror Festival this year. Yay, spooky! Written and directed by Tom Reed, the play starts with a group of friends heading off after an evening at a show. Eva gets on her bike to head home and her coworker (boss?) Dave offers to accompany her home. He persuades her to take the Greenway instead of her preferred city streets. The conversation that ensues between Eva and Dave is freaking SPOT-ON and way too familiar, and soon Eva is on her own on the Greenway.

To say much more would be spoilery, but suffice it to say that she should have taken the city streets. Think Duel on bikes. The staging and use of lighting is ingenious and realistic. Greenway has a delightful slow burn and beautifully settles into a suspenseful, tense atmosphere which ends with a genuinely uncertain resolution. And I'm really glad I didn't have to ride my bike home.

TCHF VII: Book of Shadows II

Show: Book of Shadows II

By: Erin Sheppard Presents

Genre: Dance, Storytelling, Psychological

What's It All About:
"Book of Shadows II revisits the underlying theme of witchcraft from the first Book of Shadows, exploring more facets of magic through dance and storytelling. Dances delve into dark magic and the horrors that await when tampering with the unknown. Taj Ruler casts more delightful spells written as a young tween witch, which are interspersed between dances. Sometimes magic is the only way to get what you truly want.'

What We Thought:
Discovering the work of Erin Sheppard Presents has been one of the best things about the Twin Cities Horror Festival. Not being particular dance fans, we might not have checked out her work if not for TCHF. We caught Erin Sheppard's work back at TCHF V with Book of Shadows and loved last year's After the Party and have been avid fans ever since.

Book of Shadows II was listed as a sequel to the first, which, in addition to dance, featured stories by Taj Ruler. This time around, Heather Meyer (creator of the legendary Women's History Month: The Historical Comedybration) tells a story called The Five Tools of Sophia Turnbolt, about a girl who longs to become a witch. The dance numbers are a bit less related to the narrative than in past shows we've seen by Erin Sheppard Presents, but are still fantastic. We love Erin Sheppard's musical choices, which are delightful, and her dances are modern and fresh. The dancers (sporting AMAZING E.S.P. jackets) are strong and versatile, and portray emotions from humor to love to menace with equal skill. 

Twin Cities Horror Fest VII: Review Round-up

Dear TCHF, Love us.

Friends, I can't remember: Did we mention that we LOVE the Twin Cities Horror Festival? Cause we do. And you should GO. Sincerely, us.

For your TCHF-going (or vicarious reading) enjoyment, here are links to our posts about the shows in this year's festival:

A Morbid History of Sons and Daughters by The Vincent Hovis Experience

"The performances are universally excellent and the songs are intriguing..."

Reverend Matt's Monster Science: Sympathy for the Devil by Monster Science Productions
"His delightful shows are a perfect intermezzo between more spooky offerings."

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Rogues Gallery Arts
"Just a beautifully done show. Bring your family--or anyone who is young at heart."

St Kilda by Jody Christopherson
"Atmospheric and dreamy, St Kilda is a unique theatrical experience."

Book of Shadows II by Erin Sheppard Presents
"Her musical choices are delightful, and her dances are modern and fresh."

Greenway by Tom Reed
"Has a delightful slow burn and beautifully settles into a suspenseful, tense atmosphere"

Reverend Matt's Monster Science: Demons of the Deep Blue Sea by Monster Science Productions
"Rev. Matt makes his passion (for monsters!) personal, relatable, informative and completely hilarious."


And here's what other reviewers are saying:

TC Horror Fest review: Danger on the Greenway, campfire tales, and other terrors - Jay Gabler (City Pages)

TCHF VII: St Kilda

Show: St Kilda
By: Jody Christopherson

Genre: Music, Theater , Badass Scottish/ American, Supernatural, Feminist, Travel Horror, includes some Comedy and Gore

What's It All About:
"After the death of her Grandmother, an American woman travels to an abandoned island off the coast of Scotland and unearths a dark family secret. St Kilda is a new horror play/theatrical mono-concert written and performed in near darkness by New York-based award winning theater artist Jody Christopherson."

What We Thought:
Atmospheric and dreamy, St Kilda is a unique theatrical experience. Alone on a bare, dark stage, Jody Christopherson (who also wrote the show) tells the story of journeying to the mysterious Scottish island of her beloved late grandmother's birth. St Kilda uses looping audio, interspersed recorded voices in conversation, and haunting song snippets to build an uncanny, unsettling story (and world) of secrets and mystery.

New York-based performer Jody Christopherson is an engaging storyteller, and her technical mastery is impressive as she manipulates her microphones, recorders and sound effect props to create this story. Although seeing the machinations steals a bit of focus, she creates a wonderfully magical soundscape. St Kilda is directed by Isaac Byrne, with Foley and sound design by Andy Evan Cohen, and you can check out this preview to get a sense of her work.

The setting Christopherson chose is a particularly intriguing one. According to the program, "St. Kilda is very loosely based on historical facts surrounding the evacuation of St. Kilda's only inhabitable island, Hirta, on August 29th 1930, following the death of 22-year-old Mary Gillies." Atlas Obscura provides more of the story: "Their lives had become unsustainable in the face of modernity and a rapidly diminishing population. The evacuation took place on August 29th that same year, when a ship called Harebell took the remaining villagers to their new homes in mainland Scotland. The villagers left behind a plate of oats and an open Bible in each cottage before boarding the ship." Fascinating!

Mysterious Scottish island? Of course this show reminds us of one of the greatest horror films EVER: The Wicker Man (1973). Won't some local theater company do a production of this? Or at least a concert of the amazing soundtrack? Please?

TCHF VII: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Show: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
By: Rogues Gallery Arts

Genre: Theater, Music, All Ages, comedy, historical, non-fiction, storytelling

What's It All About:
"Based on the classic American horror story by Washington Irving. In the old town of Sleepy Hollow Katrina Van Tassel meets the new schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane. He desires her hand, but several obstacles stand against their pairing including local ruffian, Brom Bones, and the ghostly spectre of a Headless Horseman rumored to reside in the area."

What We Thought:

I do love the HH. Not sure what that says
about my taste in men.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is the only show in the Twin Cities Horror Festival that's listed as "family friendly" and judging by the giggles from the children in the theater, it's a success. (And children are a tough audience!) This show is beautifully adapted from Washington Irving's story by Duck Washington and Tim Wick. Although this is a familiar tale, the adaptation has rich characterization of even the supporting characters. (More of Jason Kruger's Reuben, please!)

The musical trio of Arabella (Erin Kennedy), Stan (Geoffrey Brown) and Burt (Tim Wick) narrate the action with clever, tuneful songs by Geoffrey Brown and Tim Wick. Andy Browers as Ichabod Crane and Missy Watson as Katrina Von Tassel are charming, engaging performers and their love story has a surprising, feminist twist. Mahmoud Hakima's sympathetic portrayal of Brom Bones made me reconsider the character entirely. The low-tech, but ingenious design of minimal props and projections focuses on the strong storytelling, creating a beautifully old-fashioned experience. That said, the depiction of the Headless Horseman and his chase of Ichabod is AMAZING. Just a beautifully done show. Bring your family--or anyone who is young at heart.

Last year, Rogues Gallery Arts brought us the most chilling play in the festival: Intuition and the Mantis. Remembering that show made us appreciate anew Duck Washington's writing and especially his gifts in creating strong characters, especially women. 💓 

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."