Urban Death for Kidz
Reviewed by Taylor Kass
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group
Through July 13
RECOMMENDED
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group has not only created a wholly unique theatre experience, but they’ve also invented an entirely new genre: children’s horror theatre. And should anyone else ever dare to dip into a theatrical category this improbable, I defy them to be as unabashedly original as Zombie Joe’s.
Urban Death for Kidz is Zombie Joe’s kid-friendly (for children over the age of 10) version of its cult favorite — a seriously scary Urban Death immersive experience. Instead of a linear narrative, this story is told in a series of vignettes — some funny, some unsettling, and some downright terrifying. The scariest part? You have no idea what’s coming next.
The ensemble, under the direction of Jana Wimer, has the eerie ability to put your deepest, darkest fears on display. Because of the kids (and kids at heart) in the audience, this means staging some of childhood’s most haunting phobias — a huge needle at the doctor’s office, monsters under the bed, and getting picked last in P.E. class. Thankfully, the show has a good mix of unexpected laughs, classic ick-factor gags, and unsettling pieces that sit squarely in the uncanny valley. There are a few rare duds that fall somewhere in between (neither frightening nor funny enough), but this ensemble is always precise and wholly committed in their intense movement pieces and physical comedy work. It’s absurdist, it’s thematic, it’s complicité having a really bad dream.
Sound and lighting (thanks to Adam Neubauer, who is credited as the show’s “Tech Guru”) work together to create an ideal ambiance for each vignette and some very creepy special effects. Sometimes, a perfectly-timed blackout is all you need to punctuate the end of a scene. The blackouts themselves are spine-chilling, the kind of complete darkness you rarely see in the theatre, and last slightly too long for comfort. Without your sight, both cued and actor-made sounds make your skin crawl.
So, should you bring your kids? Yes — if they’re keen on scary movies, haunted houses, and the like. If they’re easily spooked (like this reviewer), it might be best to wait a few years. But does Urban Death for Kidz also pack a punch for the over-18 crowd? It might not be as intense as Urban Death, but there are enough chills and thrills for audience members of any age.
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre, 4850 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; Fri., 8:30 p.m.; Sun., 1 p.m.; through Jul. 13. https://www.zombiejoes.com/. Running time: approximately 40 minutes with no intermission.
