Although I adore most dark and unsettling things, I’m not a fan of theatrical haunted houses.

I tend to be put off by the live actors invading my space and relying on the cheap thrills of activating the most base human reflexes. It’s distracting and irritating. All I really want to do is enjoy the scenery, props and artistry of the whole thing. Really, get out of my face and don’t jump out at me…it just ruins the experience.

Here’s a novel idea for a haunted house that does use some of the aforementioned scare tactics, but has a different spin:

In this truly immersive experience, audience members are thrust into a beautiful and terrifying dreamscape of neo-Victorian elegance and phantasmagoric clockwork horrors. Once inside, audience members are separated, until one by one, they find themselves alone, lost somewhere within the three sprawling floors of Abrons’ majestic century-old playhouse. From there, they must choose where to go, exploring innumerable twisting hallways, looming balconies, and labyrinthine cellars. All the while, a whirlwind of mechanical apparitions, wraithlike sleepwalkers, and gear-powered beasts hurtle through corridors and lurk behind every corner and within every room.

Trailer:

Honestly, what I’d like to see more than anything else is a collection of still frames. I’m sure it’s a feast for the senses in there.

If anyone in NY goes, please tell me about your experience!

Steampunk Haunted House