Theatre in Review: Paranormal Activity (August Wilson Theatre)

	Cher Alvarez, Travis A. Knight. Photo: Matthew Murphy

Broadway meets Blumhouse in this stage variant of the supernaturally successful film series, a high-gloss rendering of the kind of inexpensive horror film that opens on almost any weekend, looking for a quick cash-out. It's the handiwork of Levi Holloway, who, like Dr. Frankenstein, is hard at work, trying to jump-start the moribund thriller genre, albeit with a spooky twist. Three summers ago, he gave us Grey House, in which Tatiana Maslany and Paul Sparks had the bad luck to take refuge, during a blizzard, in a cabin inhabited by a weird, enigmatic Laurie Metcalf and her creepy brood. It didn't go well, either for the characters, for whom perdition awaited, or the producers, who saw their investment vanish after only sixty-four performers.

This time out, Holloway has a brand identity on his side. The original Paranormal Activity film was made in 2007 for pennies and grossed millions (rather like this year's Obsession), spawning six sequels with a seventh on the way. His script is an original story that, dispensing with the series' found-footage gimmick, nevertheless fits the basic template of a young couple faced with a haunting in their new home. In the current economic climate, the housing crisis might be the scariest thing of all.

James and Lou, Chicagoans transplanted to London, quickly begin to wonder about their house, what with all the flickering lights, loud noises, and a TV that sometimes takes on a life of its own. It doesn't help that Lou has a history of depression, blackouts, and a hint of unexplained phenomena. (FaceTime sessions with Carolanne, James' interfering mother, provide a motherlode of expository information about the couple's troubled past.) James sees their British residency as a chance to reboot their marriage and start having kids. Clearly, he has never seen a Paranormal Activity movie.

For example, to ease Lou's fears, James purchases a copy of the bell that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a believer in spiritualism, had installed at his funeral, promising to chime in from beyond the grave. After Louise gives it a tinkle, James says, "And that's the last time we'll ever hear it ring." A child of three could give you odds on that.

Following a weird event that even James can't wave away -- no spoilers will be divulged -- and a seance that rattles the house to its foundations, things get really squirrelly. It's in Act II that Holloway uncorks his big twist: All I can tell you is the source of all these sinister doings is not what we have been led to believe. And, as a medium who consults with the couple is fond of noting, "Places aren't haunted; people are."

But lest you think that Paranormal Activity's scare tactics are rooted in character, let me assure you that the evening consists entirely of external shocks skillfully applied by the illusions designer Chris Fisher and his colleagues, lighting designer Anna Watson and sound designer Gareth Fry. (Despite their considerable ingenuity, the shock moments are often harder on the ears than the nervous system.) Fly Davis' two-level, multi-room set is impressive, but lead performers Cher Alvarez and Travis A. Knight often feel lost in its expanse, especially with lighting levels that make their faces hard to read. Combined with Holloway's boilerplate dialogue -- and given that the characters are often not who they seem -- it's hard to see Lou and James as little more than puppets in a slickly engineered, technically accomplished house of horrors.

It's harmless fun, if you know what you're in for, but will audiences really pay Broadway prices for what is essentially the IMAX version of the ginned-up thrills they can get at their local cinemas, or, more likely, streamed at home? The success of films like Obsession and Backrooms must give the producers hope, but one has to wonder: With all the obvious effort and money expended on this relatively simple story, couldn't somebody have pushed for marginally more complex characters and incisive dialogue? Paranormal Activity is never boring, but its mechanical thrills aside, it is surprisingly anodyne; even on its own terms, the story, which hinges on a series of switcheroos, makes little internal sense.

The director, Felix Barrett, orchestrates the production's electroshock tactics with admirable precision; the lighting, sound, and special effects hit their marks as efficiently as the actors. Fisher's illusions are unfailingly gasp-inducing. Projection designer Luke Halls pulls off a subtle gag, involving shadows, that sends a murmur of fear through the audience. Alvarez capitalizes on Lou's hair-trigger temper and faint (but persistent) aura of madness; when she starts acting strange, watch out. Knight is saddled with a character who seems like different people in each act, but he's a pro, and he has a nice way with the script's marital banter. Shannon Cochran captures Carolanne's bless-her-heart Southern-gal manner; her surprise visit cues one of the production's most nerve-rattling moments. Eva Kaminsky is fine as the initially self-assured medium, who, trying to help out, is sent screaming into the night.

Think of Paranormal Activity as a giant funhouse, and you might have a good time. Still, it doesn't leave you with much to remember. I'm not one for nostalgia, but seeing this manufactured fright fest made me think fondly of entertainments like Sleuth and Deathtrap, plays that deliver wit and literate amusement with their sinister inventions. Holloway has delivered Broadway's first B-movie entertainment, and I, for one, will be fascinated to see how it pans out. --David Barbour