Midnight is a Promising Premise with a Lackluster Finish

A pack of matches in my hand, a vial of salt in my pocket, and a candle illuminating my path – I rush up the stairs of an Orange County house. Finding safety in a bedroom, I climb into the closet; the door slightly ajar. A young girl tells me to blow out my candle, to avoid being seen – but seen by what? The door opens slowly, creaking on its hinges, the heavy breathing of someone, something, enters the room. Is this one of the kids I’m babysitting, one of their friends playing a practical joke, or something far more sinister? Midnight Midnight Midnight Midnight Midnight

Midnight was the debut production from Cvrdivc Productions, a new company entering the immersive horror realm. Billed as an hour-long experience, Midnight thrusts a group of six into the roles of babysitters for two high schoolers: Alex and Shannon. Obsessed with horror and wanting to have some fun, the kids suggest an ancient game that summons the Midnight Man.

The rules of this game are simple: Keep your candle lit. If it goes out, you have ten seconds to relight it – with your box of matches. And if you’re unable to light it, you have one last line of defense: a vial of salt that can be used to encircle you. The game starts at midnight and has players outrunning evil until 3:33am. The premise sounds wonderful, a fun childhood game akin to Bloody Mary or Werewolf. And it’s an actual real game, inspired by online Creepypastas.

Babysitting two children, playing an ancient game, and hiding to survive evil? The premise sounds amazing, right? I agree! However, the execution of the remainder of the experience does not deliver in the same manner as the set-up.

First, I can see the tension and slow build up of a multi-hour (midnight to 3:33am) experience where noises and shadows are amplified by the fear in our minds. This begins with finding the items to play the game (cards, salt, matches, and so on). But when the game begins, we are only given mere minutes to play. We pace around a small living room with eight people in it (too many to ever be scared), and when Alex’s candle is blown out (by Shannon), he ignores his salt circle. We hear a growl from downstairs, and with all our candles still lit, we offer to explore – but this is quickly shut down.

At this point, the previously established rules are quickly abandoned as we are told to hide and to blow out our candles. Didn’t the rules tell me that I am only vulnerable if my candle is blown out? I ask one of the children why I am supposed to do this – and they quickly explain that only Alex is vulnerable because his candle was the first to be blown out. That’s fine, I can respect that rule – but then when Shannon is the one to die and not Alex, I am further confused by the rules of this ancient game.

Next, having an audience of six babysit two children felt large and impersonal. The writing and acting for these characters were fun and playful – and having more interactivity and moments for connection would have vastly improved the emotional reveal of Shannon’s death. Further, a smaller audience of two or three would have further increased the fear and made you feel more alone in the darkness. The audience size did, however, provide for some truly funny jokes of why we needed six babysitters to watch a seventeen-year-old girl (who was well-behaved and doing her homework when we entered) and her high schooler brother.

Finally, with the large audience size, only two of our audience of six were able to see Shannon’s demise, and those who saw it weren’t even convinced she was dead. Alex suggests that we return our items and leave (supposedly leaving the house breaks the curse). We offered to call 911, to go upstairs to help, and even to try reversing the ceremony – but Alex remained steadfast: We must simply leave. Dejected, we returned our candles to the table and walked out the front door (and despite our efforts, Alex remained inside to die). We were led to a nice photo op – and my first view of the Midnight Man. Despite the previously stated hour run time, my watch said the experience ran forty minutes by the time my picture was taken.

Despite the confusing rules and deflated ending, the acting was some of the best I’ve seen in immersive horror. New faces to the immersive scene, both Shannon and Alex felt like a real brother and sister, and their banter was witty and organic. Shannon’s sarcasm and Alex’s enthusiasm were infectious and kept the narrative moving forward. Further, the small intro of their parents, Dino and Ross, were wonderfully played, humorous, and exciting. While I only saw the Midnight Man at the photo op at the end, his height and costume design were frighteningly horrific – truly worthy of the titular character. Finally, the two characters dressed in all black were a fun addition to the start of the experience, allowing for some fun exchanges in the driveway. A strong cast of seven was a welcomed surprise.

With a few changes and a stronger ending, this experience could truly be one of the best in the immersive horror field. Because the beginning was so fun, engaging, and downright scary, the wasted potential at the end felt more impactful. With strong dialogue and improvisation from the actors, the experience was elevated above a children’s game and became a fearful journey into the dark. I just wish it lasted longer.

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Find more information about upcoming productions on Cvrdivc Productions’ website or Facebook page, and be sure to check out our Event Guide for more immersive horror events throughout the year.