Conjure the Spirits
Reviewed by Taylor Kass
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group
Through Feb. 18
RECOMMENDED
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group’s Conjure the Spirits begins on the sidewalk in front of the theatre. A ghostly usher (a cameo by Zombie Joe himself) takes your tickets wordlessly, struggles to navigate worldly fixtures like doors and parking meters, and shouts Shakespeare to the streets of North Hollywood. It’s immediately immersive with a distinct style, making a night at Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre unlike any other night at any other theater in Los Angeles. With Conjure the Spirits, playwright-director-actor Hiro Korsgaard brings a bite-sized and sharply intelligent new piece to Zombie Joe’s that explores life, death, and what’s in between.
The concept is as meta as it is metaphysical — after you make it past the spooky usher, you’re informed that you’ll be witnessing a rehearsal of a play performed by actors long since passed. The actors-playing-actors run through their story beats before launching into their performance of a Blithe Spirit-esque play about a a seance gone wrong. The evening is hosted by a man who may or may not be possessed (Ryan Leonard) and performed by a woman who may or may not be able to control her spiritual powers (Zelda Gay). Standouts from the cast include Liza Rash as the medium’s secretive assistant and Sarah Bruce as the gathering’s sole skeptic.
In its final moments, Conjure the Spirits breaks into a haunting liminal space populated with movement pieces in the classic disturbing Zombie Joe style, leaving the audience with more questions than answers. (Sound and lighting design by Zombie Joe ratchets up the suspense.) Korsgaard’s script is a lean and fast-paced piece, rich with intriguing characters and layers of metaphor. But while the show’s breakneck speed is heart-pounding (and allows the show to be performed twice per night), it leaves nearly all of its narrative threads loose. Contemporary experimental theatre generally necessitates leaving room for interpretation, but the characters are simply so engaging that they deserve a conclusion in at least one of the metaphysical worlds that Korsgaard has built. Nevertheless, Conjure the Spirits is a ghost story that is sure to haunt long after you leave the theater.
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group, 4850 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; Fri. – Sat., 8:30 & 9:30 pm; through Feb. 18. zombiejoes.tix.com. Running time: 50 minutes with no intermission.
