By Carlos Detres

Psycho Clan’s new creation begins with a unique prologue for a haunted house – MoVA – the Museum of Vampyric Artifacts — an exhibit of items used by vampires from the past and sculptures of our favorite bloodsuckers from every culture. The faux exhibit is curated by a fanged tour guide until something terrible happens, leaving it up to the guests to find their way out of a pit of gory and violent despair that is this production’s instant classic: “Nightmare: Vampires”.

Director and creator, Timothy Haskell unleashes his fecund imagination and all that it bears but it should be noted that he has not created your run-of-the-mill haunted house. It is both terrifying and artistic with plenty of rooms on two floors to wipe your bravery with. Haskell, known for his bloody Broadway takes on Roadhouse and  Fatal Attraction, wields, with intelligence, a surrealistic cabal of unsuspecting frights that allure your senses, even if it is only a transmission through the most subtle details.

Gone are the current notions of sexy vampires. Haskell has returned to the origin of vampirism with beasts who belong nowhere near a castle or royal court. These vampires are played by actors who have faithfully ingested their roles and produced convincing portrayals with the sort of viciousness reserved for a more savage era. They are not coy and they are not aristocratic but instead are gruesome and menacing. A recent tour proved so provocative that two people were escorted to the exit only after the strobe lights had created a shift in their perception.

The cost proves to be its only hindrance, however if thirty dollars can be spared, treat yourself to this unique experience. A bar awaits you at the end to drink down that heart rate.