Angel of Light
Kicking off the Halloween season for Media Geeks this year is the most exciting project of all–something original! The other three or four major events we’re going to cover are all returning from successful past events, and we’re very much looking forward to them. Ah, but something fresh, something created out of nothing, without connections to anything else–now that’s exciting! Endless possibility! So let’s take a look at a preview for Angel of Light.
Blinded by the Light
Looks pretty creepy, right? There seems to be a good amount of world-building, along with some classic horror imagery. I was hoping to walk through a new spooky story and learn what the Angel of Light was. The creators are quick to tout their technical prowess. The press release is eager to mention “the experience uses advanced technology to take those who dare deep into the past, including the power of Dolby Atmos sound, projection mapping, shifting light and music, and power strobe lights.”
It’s true that all of those elements were present. Often, the technical details were excellent–the various rooms of the theater were lit spectacularly. Unfortunately, they didn’t come together to form a very cohesive whole. Individual elements were impressive, but the connective tissue seemed lacking.
Shine a Light
There was a big crowd on the sidewalk outside the Los Angeles Theatre Wednesday night, so excitement was high. The old building is a spectacular venue. The lobby was dressed up with costumed characters, great lighting, and fog, although not so much as to prevent visibility, thank goodness. One actor, dressed as a theater usher, proclaimed the show was about to begin, although his speech was interrupted by a spasm of speaking in tongues. All the characters had “blood” coming from their ears. We were let into the next area in groups of 20…
Where we waited again. This time we were split into even smaller groups to go through the first section of the walk-through experience. I appreciate small groups for these events! The Catacombs was much like the “mazes” at Six Flags Fright Fest or Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights. It had good scenery, with windows into other scenes, along with the requisite scare actors. They were mostly of the religious ilk, nuns and holy men, who warned you about Rota and said “Don’t let her sing!”
There was also an empty room with digital screens on every wall. It felt jarring coming right after the Catacombs maze. I saw imagery of mostly abstract shapes and eyeballs, and I couldn’t figure it out. Only afterwards, reading the press release again, did I learn it was the “LED Possession Cube room projecting a kaleidoscope of mind-bending images and footage taken from inside the mind of Rota.” Glad I read that. I sure wouldn’t have gotten it from context.
Inner Light
After this, we emerged into a kind of nexus. A big open room, moodily lit, held a bar selling drinks and snacks. Around this room were various little encounters–some creepy telephone booths, a VIP lounge (full disclosure, press had access to this with free food and drinks), and a dim nursery-themed room, that had both a little person and a VERY tall Slenderman-esque actor scaring people. We even explored the bathrooms because there was also some decor in there, which seemed a little odd.
However, I still didn’t know what the Angel of Light was and none of these small vignettes seemed related to the main experience. A bit lost, we eventually asked a staff member and found out to wait at a close door to continue to the second half of the haunt. This central hub was a fine place to talk a bit, have a snack, and enjoy the atmosphere. Although a good chunk of the conversation was “what are we supposed to do next?”
Lights Out
Past the closed door, we saw projections on the walls of the same imagery from the trailer. I got excited, thinking the opening maze was a prelude to the main experience, which we’d get now. The opening of part 2 was a physical funhouse feature I’ve seen before, but is always enjoyable. After that we discovered…another haunted maze. This one wound through the backstage of a theater, past dressing rooms, and I think more scary nuns? We got more warnings about Rota, but still had no backstory. It ended in a graveyard with tombstones and coffins before we found ourselves at the doors of the actual theatre.
“Ah ha!” I thought. “After TWO mazes, we’ll get the real story/show!” Reader, I was wrong. We took seats in the second row, with the still-wonderful lighting and atmosphere surrounding us. The aisles were filled with scare actors, doing a remarkably effective job of writhing, crawling, and generally scaring people without the benefit of blind corners or other trappings. I have to give kudos for how good (and plentiful) they were. The main stage show eventually began, with a glamorous singer in the center while two pairs of skilled dancers swirled around the stage.
Shortly after that, the production changes (presumably when the Angel of Light takes over Rota’s body) into more raucous audio/visual bombast. Strobe lights will blind you if you’re in the first few rows, and everyone on stage is now in black underwear, with a much more high-energy modern dance routine (plus a few new dancers). The demon finally makes an appearance, via some kind of projection mapping or motion-capture. The dancers are skilled, and the show is enjoyable. It’s just not at all what I expected. It’s neither scary, nor does it deliver any of the story I was desperately looking for. In fact, with a final reference to our “sonic possession,” my thought upon exiting was “Why is this called Angel of Light? The entire focus is on singing, and avoiding her voice. How is this not Angel of Sound?”
Ray of Light
Ultimately, Angel of Light was kind of a mixed bag. It has a lot of good stuff going for it: it’s a new concept, with great atmosphere, lots of skilled actors and dancers, and a good use of the space. The costumes, sets, and technology were all high quality, and the venue is absolutely gorgeous.
The downsides are hard to ignore though. For the price, you get 2 haunted mazes, access to a lounge, and the dance performance finale. So you’re kind of paying for “vibes” as the kids say. And the vibes are mostly nice and spooky, no doubt. But I wanted the “ancient curses, sonic secrets, and demonic possession” promised in that trailer. Or I at least wanted a scarier denouement, something I could use to write my own story in my head.
If you aren’t partial to lore, though, or you like your scares mixed with a variety of performances, Angel of Light may be more for you than it was for me. It’s currently running through October 31st in Los Angeles. Tickets are $59.50, and the experience lasts at least an hour. The best parking is at Pershing Square. More information, including tickets, is available on their website.
