'A Midnight Visit' is the famed immersive theatre production that has taken over a cavernous abandoned warehouse in Fortitude Valley (Brisbane).
It promises a multi-sensory performance experience and adventure, spanning over 36 spaces, and a journey to the edge of madness courtesy of your host, the Undertaker.
Inside is a dark dreamworld of thrills, obsession, decadence and awe with a cast of strange characters who sing, act, dance and even perform circus aerials. It’s all based around the work of the grandaddy of gothic literature, Edgar Allan Poe, but you don’t need to know anything about the man to have great fun.
Brisbane has been buzzing with excitement since its opening, and after a brief hiatus during lockdown, the show is back to deliver more thrills. The mysteries to the show are manifold, with no two journeys being the same. You may have already heard about the neon pink ball-pit, but here, the team at 'A Midnight Visit' uncover five more secrets to whet your appetite for this most curious of nights out.
Spoiler alert.
One
There is a mini flash-mob rave. Yep, following a strange jester (called Hop Frog) may see you swept through a series of rooms and into a mini rave complete with thumping dance track, glowsticks and. . . Blood on the walls! Bizarre yes, but even more electric after the 18 months we’ve had! This character, Hop Frog, is definitely the life of the party.Two
There’s an incredible room, bathed entirely in red, that is only revealed towards the end of your experience. Dripping chandeliers, a red grand piano and a red dancefloor – this space sees Poe himself finally succumb to The Raven and death. But if you’re lucky this red ballroom might get revealed to you through a tiny key-hole-shaped peephole or through an incredible scene where you get to meet The Raven solo. . . After all, they do say fortune favours the bold, but do you dare?Three
Poe’s mother was an actress and he apparently spent the first years of his life side of stage watching her perform before her young death. And this show has The Actress, a character that sings Lady Gaga, dances to Madonna and rehearses her Shakespearean scenes, even drowning (again courtesy of The Raven) as Ophelia. She is clearly utterly desperate for your adoration. But if you are one of the lucky, one beautifully intimate moment is when she gives you a makeup tutorial in her surreal dressing room caravan. We didn’t realise we were craving this kind of beauty regime, but we were!
Image © Ian Gillespie
Four
Okay, okay okay, you may have already heard about this one on the rumour mill. . . But there is a SECRET BAR! Nobody knows when it's open and needless to say it's hard to find. But if you find it, I recommend partaking in the Picklebacks and Brinebacks on offer, these goodies will definitely fortify your soul for the journey. Again, this debauched space, strewn with old fire extinguishers and hay bales, seems to be brought to you by that party-loving jester and his love of fire.Five
One of our absolute favourite characters is the creepy Nurse, often found in the equally creepy mental hospital. She also metamorphosises into some kind of scantily-clad spirit at one point. But before that, you’ll be lucky to be treated by her medicine, delivered straight into your mouth by syringe. I have no idea what that concoction was, but it was definitely alcoholic. Also, this is an experience that encourages your curiosity, so looking inside drawers and cupboards often gives you surprise rewards and extra secrets.'A Midnight Visit' is great to do alone or with friends. . . You can even each choose a different path and compare notes afterwards at their on-site bar, The Raven’s Rest.
'A Midnight Visit' is on until 21 November at The House Of Usher (Brisbane).
