Pushing the envelope. Doing something new while still telling the story. Can be an interesting situation.
Grey House is a new play by Levi Holloway. It tells the story of a couple that seeks shelter with some unusual inhabitants after a car crash. Billed as a thriller the show premiered on Broadway in 2023 after the Chicago premiere in 2019.
Note: I saw an early preview of Grey House. The show has gone through tweaks and changes since then. However I’ll be giving a review based on what I saw.
So what I did I enjoy about the spooky drama.
The overall vibe of the piece. It’s reminds me a lot of the wicker man and midssommar. I wouldn’t have been shocked if the marquee said “American horror story presents”. The creepiness is there. You feel it when your walk in.
The Daughters. Their presence reminded me of the manson girls. Charming but can bite your head off at any moment. Their scenes are great as they bounce off of each other. The uneasiness they bring as you really didn’t know what they were going to do next. It keeps you on your toes. Brilliantly performed
The balance of horror and humor. While the show is a thriller. It is still relatively funny. There is a lot of wisecracks and sarcasm in the script that go well with the serious scenes. Even things you shouldn’t be laughing at (torture for example) works with the odd setup. If your a nervous laugher, prepare yourself.
The effects. The sound effects, illusions and lighting. All top notch. Not expecting this much stage craft from a play. But for this it works so well. Even the smallest things.
And now the big question, Is it scary? Let me put it this way, there was a moment where 80% of the audience screamed. In unison. Could there have been more, most definitely. But what is in the show is very effective and leave you with chills.
And what did I think should have been left to freeze in the snow?
It leaves you with alot of questions a the end. A lot of moments, particularly towards the end are not really explained. Might be intentional. Definitely wanted to know more about certain characters and setting
So what is my opinion of Grey House? I liked it. It was creepy fun. Defiantly not something you would expect on Broadway. And that made me like it even more. We need more shows like this.
Grey House is playing a limited run on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre
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