Paranormal Activity

It's October, and Halloween movies are featured on nearly every network and streaming platform. This spirited holiday has a long history, rooted in the world's most frightening celebrations. Halloween is connected to All Hallows' Eve, which dates back to the 4th century AD, along with All Souls' Day, which commemorates those in purgatory. All Hallow Tide, which combined All Hallows' Eve (Halloween) on October 31, All Saints' Day on November 1, and All Souls' Day (or All Faithful Departed) on November 2, was a holy time for those wishing to visit graveyards to remember their loved ones and decorate the graves with garlands, flowers, candles, and incense. While these observances were originally Christian celebrations, the darker themes associated with Halloween—focused on fear and evil—were influenced by pictorial images within medieval church depictions of souls condemned to hell for their disobedience. Still, there is a belief that predates modern Christian celebrations. Samhain was a time when it was believed that the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred, allowing spirits to return to Earth. Traditions and beliefs during Samhain honored ancestors and invited them back into homes. However, harmful spirits also roamed outside, ready to invade the lives of the living. Venturing out during Samhain carried the risk of being taken away by the sluagh, which were malevolent spirits of the restless dead. In the Book of Matthew, Chapter 12, there is a mention of returning to an unclean spirit, serving as a warning to the faithful that sin can attract demonic forces into our lives. Over the years, Halloween has become a celebration featuring costumes, lantern carving, and trick-or-treating for children. Nevertheless, the traditions of fear surrounding this holiday persist, encompassing haunted houses, scary stories, films, and full-featured movies that keep alive the fears of encountering a paranormal presence from the dead.

Paranormal Activity, A New Story Live on stage at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, devilishly brings its audience back into the trepidations of witnessing the presence of the dead. Written by playwright Levi Holloway (known for Grey House), Holloway wants the audience to know that it's not a retelling of the 2007 movie, which recreated the fear and suspense of found-footage films, but a new, original story reimaged through theatrical illusions and immersive diversion, set within the world of the terrifying film franchise. Still, the similarities existed, as both centered on a young couple terrorized by an evil presence in their home. The couple in this setting is James and Lou, played by Cher Álvarez and Patrick Heusinger, who decided to move from Chicago to London to escape from Lou's belief that strange occurrences are haunting her and that an evil presence has been hovering over her since the death of her family. Things seem fine at their new London home; however, they discover that the evil presence has not been eliminated and that the house wasn't haunted. It was them!

Paranormal Activity has that old horror-movie vibe, which will make your hair on your arms stand and send a shiver down your spine, leaving you afraid to enter dark places in your home. Alvarez and Heusinger, who play Lou and James, bring a relatable realism to their characters as they navigate the unsettling events that haunt their lives. Their haunting struggles draw the audience into the play with screeches, moans, and groans, and a few "Don't kiss her" lines add to the storyline by the scary onlookers, conjuring memories for anyone who's ever felt uneasy in a dark space. Shannon Cochran (Carolanne) was excellent as the overbearing mother of James's, and Kate Fry, who is one of my favorite actors, played a kind of Poltergeist demonologist, who underestimates the forces of evil within the house. I'm not sure if Holloway tries to slip this past us; however, Carol Anne was the name of the five-year-old in the movie Poltergeist. Could it be a subtle nod to that classic film?

This play, which runs for about two hours with an intermission, begins at a traditionally slow pace, much like many horror films do. It takes its time unfolding the characters' backstories and explaining why these terrible things are happening. However, I found myself wishing for more moments of genuine fright and less emphasis on character development. During my teens, production companies used a little nudity during slow periods, which wasn't appropriate and was banned in the 30's, replaced by the MPAA film rating system in 1968. Still, it kept the youth's attention until the good stuff came. There are some genuinely frightening and eerie scenes, but more suspense and horror elements would have a greater impact on the audience. Alfred Hitchcock was the master of blending suspense and horror to hold his audiences' attention. The production utilizes traditional horror elements such as screeching doors that creak open on their own, pictures crashing to the floor, and spirits mysteriously moving and vanishing in the shadows—each moment brilliantly designed to tap into your deepest fears. There were a few special effects that were chilling and will have you asking how they were done. Given the staging's two-tier home, I highly recommend securing seats farther back so you can capture the entire visual drama.

It's been decades since a movie has genuinely scared me, and like many, the most frightening part often comes from the anticipation of actually going to see it. Our mindset can intensify fear in our lives. As a child, I felt like paranormal Activity was always present; I could sense it lurking on walls, floors, and even in the photos of loved ones we cherished in our homes. I had a constant fear of dark places and the thought of sleeping alone. In fact, I was more frightened by the commercials for "The Exorcist" than the film itself when I finally saw it. Yet, when it comes to encounters with unknown, demonic spirits, witnessing something like that can easily stir up those childhood fears again. And that's precisely the thrill we seek—this play taps into those deep-seated fears and delivers in a horrifying, captivating way. I would like to see them retune the ending to heighten suspense and leave the audience with a lingering sense of wonder and dread. With that said, this production is a spellbinding trip into the heart of horror, keeping you on the edge of your seat.

⭐⭐⭐ 1/2 Stars

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Paranormal Activity

Written by Levi Holloway

Directed by Felix Barrett

Restaged by Levi Holloway

OCT 8–NOV 2, 2025

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