Reviewed by Madison Mellon
The Count’s Den
Through February 14th
RECOMMENDED
Devised by Immersive Art Collective, Murder at the Queen’s Cabaret takes the audience into a decadent underworld that blends elements of campy murder mystery, burlesque, and active mystery-solving. From the moment you step inside, it’s clear you will be part of the action rather than sitting back and watching. The production creates an alluringly seedy atmosphere, although the vibes and aesthetic are ultimately more interesting than the central mystery.
The premise unfolds inside the fictional Velvet Curtain Theater, overseen by owner Victor Renshaw (Ian Heath), who immediately draws audience members into conversation. As soon as I sat down, Renshaw began discussing Magnus Hirschfeld’s Institute for Sexual Science in Weimar Germany, quickly establishing the production’s underground 1920s cabaret lineage and queer subtext. The venue itself, The Count’s Den, is lush and dimly lit, with varied seating options and a bar tucked to one side: it does genuinely gives one the feeling of having stumbled into a hidden hole-in-the-wall.
The performance begins gradually through a series of visually striking acts. Aerialists Harlowe and Sebastian Fox perform impressive acrobatics, while the main cast of characters introduce themselves through burlesque, drag, and fire-eating. This setup is probably the show’s strongest point, because it both allows the performers’ varied skills to shine and highlights the atmosphere of the space.
Inevitably, a murder interrupts the revelry, and the audience is sent away to investigate. Viewers are invited to roam backstage, upstairs, and through side spaces in search of clues, notes, and bits of evidence. Many of these areas are thoughtfully dressed and atmospheric, extending the cabaret world beyond the main room and rewarding curiosity. The experience evokes elements of an escape room, though with a looser, more theatrical sensibility.
The immersive mechanics aren’t entirely seamless. The outdoor patio felt largely undecorated like I wasn’t meant to be there, although it did apparently contain clues. It was also a bit unclear how much influence the discovered clues actually had on the final outcome, which appeared largely predetermined and predictable. Still, this does little to diminish the fun of exploring and chatting with characters and other audience members. There is plenty to do during this lengthy intermission and the environment is fleshed out and rewarding to explore.
Ultimately, The Queen’s Cabaret delivers on its promise: a night of themed burlesque, spectacle, and playful investigation wrapped in a cohesive and imaginative environment. While it doesn’t always present the most polished gameplay, the production’s sense of fun and discovery carries the evening. I was ultimately less concerned with solving the mystery than enjoying the experience of being inside it.
The Count’s Den, 1039 S. Olive St., Downtown LA. Fri.-Sat., 7 pm; Sun., 6 pm; thru Feb. 14. https://events.immersiveartcollective.org/events/immersiveartcollective/1786938 www.thecountsden.com/
