Shiver 2019 – This Home Haunt Sends in the Clowns
Green laser lights cover the path I’m walking through the cemetery. I can’t see anything underneath the glowing green light but that doesn’t stop me from hearing movement. I move more quickly, trying to look down in every direction. That’s what makes the ghostly looking woman’s cackle behind me so shocking. I was only ready for something from below. They were ready for me. shiver 2019
Shiver is a home haunt in Santa Clarita that’s roughly 1,000 square feet in size. The experience itself is longer than others with spaces that size, however, because of the interactive moments participants encounter, easily lasting 10-15 minutes. Groups are kept very small (4-5 people max) so that everyone can get special treatment by the creatures inside.
Photo: Thea Rivera
In only its second year as a haunt, Shiver is the twisted creation of David Rosenthal and Gwen Zimlin, and it’s packed with scares and dark humor in equal measure. Clowns roam through every segment of a participant’s path. Some jump-scare while others simply stand there and wave at visitors in an almost kindly fashion. In a fog-covered hallway it’s not clear which is more terrifying.
There are also more interactive moments hidden within the space, such as the pregnant clown who stops the group in her home to suggest that one of the men is the father of her unborn child. When that declaration doesn’t generate the income she wants, the clown becomes increasingly upset, threatening the man with paternity suits and violence in equal measure. Few haunted houses offer such a weirdly demented interaction – and that’s even before she attempts to commiserate with any women in the group. It’s one hell of a strange thing to find in a haunt, and one of the most unique and unnerving moments of this Halloween season.
Photo: Thea Rivera
Other aspects of Shiver are more typical for this type of experience. Many of the decorations appear store-bought and are pretty generic in their set design. Some of the locations are a little rough around the edges and look a little less professional than haunts that have been around for longer.
But the actors are fantastic and bring a slightly more lighthearted aspect to their scares. It’s as though they recognize that the entire scenario of a haunted house is designed to be both scary and fun, so they’ve decided to make sure everyone experiences both emotions equally. It makes for a nice change to the typical attempt to make participants faint with fear.
Photo: Thea Rivera
Shiver does a spectacular job as a haunt that’s only in its second year. If bigger haunts are perfect and polished, Shiver is like rock and roll: rough around the edges but incredibly satisfying. It’s a haunted house with passion and intensity with creators who love to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. Shiver is the haunt you always wanted to make when you were a kid and it’s every bit as fun as you thought. Just be ready for the chainsaws.
Shiver has finished its run for this year but plans to return with a new haunt for 2020. Follow them on Facebook for more information. Check out our Event Guide for more Halloween and horror entertainment throughout the year.
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