House of Spirits: A Haunted Cocktail Soiree

Recently, House of Spirits has surpassed Delusion as my most-recommended Halloween event of the year. Delusion has better narrative and surprises, but House of Spirits has no weak spots in their celebration of all things spooky. Returning this year to their new (permanent?) location, I was pretty sure I knew what to expect from the production. Each year, the creators offer something a seasonal funhouse with incredible costumes, a variety of experiences, and light storytelling, wrapped up in an adults-only package. I was very excited to return.

Dia de Los Muertos

Like Disneyland, the first question upon entering House of Spirits is “What should we do first?” Upstairs contains 4 separate areas/activities, and downstairs contains the main show, along with the most interactive event. The Nocturne theater underwent a bit of a transformation this year, with the actual theater now occupied by seating in the round that can’t be removed as easily as last year. So they don’t–instead, the central space remains a theater, with comfortable seats if you want a break or to watch the recurring floor show. The show is music and dance, alternating between a male and female dancer wearing beautiful, and risque, costumes.

This central show cycles all night, so it’s great to catch between other activities that are on a bit more of a time limit. At the end of the night, there is a kind of finale that is a bit more elaborate. It involves two dancers, and hints at the overall story of the night, which you can learn by accomplishing certain tasks to unlock the backstory of the House of Spirits. This year the theme in Los Angeles is Casa Vega, based on the true story of Spanish painter Francisco Vega. Coincidentally, this is also the story of the very first House of Spirits I attended, in 2019.

What’s This? What’s This?

Let me give a quick rundown of the options available to you during your 2-hour time limit. Downstairs has the show described above, along with the Creature Challenge. Here, you view Vega’s paintings that depict the stages of grief as monsters, then collect talismans from the physical monsters. This is not difficult; there are no puzzles to solve, but it’s extremely moody, with great lighting, and wonderful creatures. Downstairs is also the place to line up for one of the timed shows–a seance that happens with Vega’s wife and features some really great practical effects, although it was a little too brief, for me as a story junkie.

Upstairs is the cabaret, which is a nice place to lounge while a very talented singer, in full Halloween costume and makeup, performs creepy covers of pop songs, accompanied by a live keyboardist. Think “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane and “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley. The other free-roaming area contains the traditional wall-sized Ouija Board that will answer questions you ask it, along with several spirits who are only to happy to share their unhappy tales with you, if you ask them. We met a child spirit named Poppet, who made a drawing of my friend and I, accompanied by a sinister-looking entity between us that only the spirit could see…

Adults Only

The final experience upstairs is another music and dance performance. Unlike the central show downstairs, this one tells a story, and takes place in a room that can only hold 12 people at a time, so there is usually a line to get into the next show. This show features Vega himself, and depicts his descent into…madness? Death? The Afterlife? It’s open to interpretation, but it’s definitely R-rated, with both male and female full nudity.

The sexy dance was certainly one of the highlights of the evening, which is clearly for adults only. To wit, another main feature of House of Spirits is the pun in the title–“spirits.” A signature element is the various bars around the venue, each serving one custom cocktail themed to the evening’s story. Your ticket includes one of each drink, although you’re permitted to get 4 of the same one if you want. I tried all 4 and they were delicious; my favorite might have been the lychee one. Other ticketing levels provide another drink and a small box of chocolates. It’s a nice way to bring the childhood fun of trick-or-treating into an event that has absolutely no children allowed.

The Witching Hour

As always, we scoured every room and talked to most of the characters, but weren’t able to get them all. This is the element I’d choose to spend more time on if I went back. The costumes are truly the best costumes of any show in Los Angeles. They manage to keep impressing and amazing each year. The actors, and the characters they create, are super fun to talk to. The story’s conclusion was again revealed via technology. Rather than scroll on my phone to read the story, I saved it for later and continued to enjoy the physical surroundings instead. I should note that the final story isn’t really necessary to enjoy the evening. The narrative is an option, but not crucial. House of Spirits lived up to my expectations of a well-themed Halloween playground for adults. Would I improve anything? I might add some more secrets for people who are dedicated to following the story cues. And I’ll repeat this note verbatim from last year–as an environmentalist, I also wish they could find a way to move away from multiple plastic cups per person. Would paper cups kill the vibe too much?

The Nocturne Theatre in Glendale has plenty of affordable parking nearby. There is a coat check, which may come in handy if the smaller rooms get stuffy. There are 3 ticket levels; $83 gets you 4 cocktails, $90 adds a 5th cocktail, and $103 adds a box of 4 chocolates, plus first entry into the experience. The chocolates are obtained from a roaming chocolate spirit, which is fun, although I liked last year’s exclusive “scene” better. I recommend the middle tier. Despite a noticeable price increase from last year, the event is still a good deal compared to a lot of the other big-ticket Halloween events around LA. More details about House of Spirits, including ticket purchases, can be found at their website here. It runs through 11/2, and it’s a great way to kick off the fall season!