I’m climbing an unlit spiral staircase very slowly, trying not to make any noise as I hit each metal step. I’m trying to get to the upper level of a mansion, hidden on a large parcel of land 30 miles north of Santa Clarita, without anyone spotting me. Somewhere in that mansion is another clue that I need to join a deeply depraved family. But just as my eyes reach high enough to see onto the upper floor, I spot a figure in a blood-spattered bunny mask watching for intruders through an open door. I crouch immediately and start climbing back down. I’m going to have to find another way before they catch me. cult

Cult, the first experience from new company Intruder Escape, has a straightforward setup. Up to ten audience members gather at the mansion to be part of an initiation. The audience members learn that they’ve come here to find a place where they belong, and the time has come for them to be tested. Clues have been planted throughout the mansion and its grounds and it’s up to the audience to find them and bring the answers to Father Ashe, the leader of the Buchanan Family. Unfortunately, finding the clues isn’t easy. Other Family members also roam the area, looking to capture the audience and take away any success the audience has accumulated so far. A bell rings – and the initiation begins.

Cult is another example of adding gaming elements to an immersive event. It combines escape room elements with an immersive-horror narrative along the lines of the movie The Strangers into a funny and terrifying 90-minute event. The escape room component works very well throughout the experience. Audience members try to solve four different puzzles using elements scattered in multiple buildings and both floors of the main mansion. They can work independently or join together in teams to pool their mental and physical capabilities (such as the three teams made up of 4, 3 and 2 people each on the night I’m attending). Success on a puzzle equates into points with the goal of the night to be the person with the highest number of points at the end.

The immersive-horror aspect comes from the addition of The Family members stalking the audience. Dressed in white outfits and masks of different animals, The Family actively work to capture guests, appearing through doorways or from around a corner at any moment to grab a player. When guests are caught, they are carted off to a penalty room where they must wait several minutes before rejoining the game. While here, they must watch appropriate propaganda videos about The Family – to help them understand the value of being part of The Family, of course.

Father Ash – Jordan Kaplan/Matt Coulson

By bringing these two elements together, Cult creates an experience that is rewarding and terrifying, fun and frightening, all at the same time. Because the grounds are so far north of Santa Clarita, anywhere outside the mansion is really dark, truly pitch black. The mansion is only slightly brighter, with candles placed at strategic spots to maintain safety (such as on any steps) or to illuminate specific elements within the house. In order to read clues or find items in locations, guests are equipped with small flashlights that have a limited illuminating area. These lights create terrifying moments when a Family member suddenly steps into the light from the side or stomps into view from the farthest edge of illumination. Humans have an instinctive fear of the dark and this experience plays with that fear exceedingly well.

The actors playing The Family members are also quite good at understanding how to terrify participants. The rules for the game are very clear: running is not allowed, and audience members must accept being caught. That creates a scenario where The Family focuses less on chasing audience members down and more on catching them off guard or slowly stalking them right into the arms of another Family member. More than once during the experience, Family members sneak into rooms and let the audience stumble across them before closing in to capture them. This type of slow, deliberate scare is actually far more frightening than monsters running after guests would be, as it creates a sense of them being in complete control over the space. It’s as though they are playing with the audience like a cat plays with a mouse – and it’s terrifying to experience.

Cult allows the audience to make some choices as well: audience members can coordinate strategies to get past Family members; they can be crafty in how they avoid losing points; and, if they’re willing to be mercenary, they can even sacrifice other players to avoid being caught themselves. The rules create boundaries to make the experience safe and fun, but allow for some interesting possibilities as audience members learn how things work. It’s a very smart idea to create such flexibility for guests to approach solving the puzzles and winning the experience in a way that works for them.

Dark, tense and truly enjoyable, Cult is a great first production from Intruder Escape. It uses a simple premise, a great location, and very smart actors to create an adrenaline rush that won’t be soon forgotten. Cult is smart, clever, and definitely worth its initiation. The Buchanan Family is one every immersive and horror fan should join as soon as possible.

(Featured photo: The Deer-Saana Laigren)

Cult has two more nights of performances on November 1^st and 2^nd, so make sure you join the initiation quickly. Find out more about Intruder Escape and Cult on their website and Instagram. Make sure to subscribe to our Event Calendar for more immersive and horror events throughout the year.

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