Please note: this review is for the 2009 season rather than the current season.

A Theater Of Lost Souls Presents: Nightmare Factory Haunt

by HocusPocus (Review Crew) after attending on Friday, October 16, 2009 at about 4 p.m.

Fun Factor: Medium Fear Factor: Low

Review

It was a dark and cold night...REALLY cold. Fortunately for me I had a warm car to step out of and to warm back up in. As this haunt is contained within the unheated barns of the fair grounds it appears as if the actors did not enjoy a similar luxury. Perhaps I caught this haunt at a bad time? I checked out The Theater of Lost Souls and Theater of the Absurd...but due to the temps I declined the invitation to partake in the hayride.



The Theater of the Absurd was very entertaining! I kind of got the impression that it's billed to be a side show to the Lost Souls haunt but I really enjoyed the unique concept of an attraction that was completely in 3D. The clown was very energetic and interactive. As we were the only group touring at the time we received quite a bit of attention. Not sure if this is typical as there appeared to be just a few actors in the Absurd attraction but we definitely enjoyed it! (Fun Factor = 4 / Scare Factor = 1)



The Theater of Lost Souls had its moments but appeared to lack the energy and enthusiasm to provide for a good scare or a fun interactive experience with a ghoul by way of a riveting performance. Perhaps the cold temps and sparse crowds of the Friday evening played a role in this? I really enjoyed the voodoo room and the acting performance in this room was absolutely superb! (Loved the accent!) The "Two Dogs" room has a lot of potential. The actor did a good job of heightening your anticipation prior to entering the room but the absence of a surprise once in the room made for an anti-climatic experience. A little bit of darkness combined with a sudden flash of light/sound could do wonders for the scare factor of this room. (Fun Factor = 2 / Scare Factor = 3)


Signage / Visibility / Location


Fortunately I looked at the map on this website ahead of time. There were no visible signs along Jackson Street and only a hand painted black and white sign on County Rd Y. Very easy to miss if you're not looking closely.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


Come dressed for the weather. The wait line and haunt are all unheated but at least protected from the elements. A very motivated costumed actor provided entertainment while you walked from your car, purchased your tickets and while you waited in line.

Actors' Performance


There were a few stellar acting performances. The Voodoo room actress and the Clown hosting the Theater of the Absurd were outstanding. Many of the others appeared to be in need of a little red bull....or hot chocolate.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


The sets in the Theater of the Absurd were outstanding. I can only imagine how much time and energy went into creating these scenes. The Theater of Lost Souls had some great props but the sets and supporting FX often times limited the scare opportunities for them.

Length


It took our group 16 minutes to complete the Theater of Lost Souls and 12 minutes to complete the Theater of the Absurd.

Crowd Control


Appeared to be a slow night so there were only a couple of other groups present besides ours.

Most Memorable Moment


The clown hosting the Theater of the Absurd...no shortage of energy! The Theater of the Absurd was a VERY pleasant surprise after checking out the Theater of Lost Souls.

While touring the Theater of Lost Souls someone in our group jokingly asked one of the actors if she was cold. Her reply: "I'm dead...how could be I be cold?" Very funny! :)

Summary

If you're looking for a unique and fun Halloween experience checkout the Theater of the Absurd. Adults will enjoy it and kids will certainly love it!

View all A Theater Of Lost Souls Presents: Nightmare Factory Haunt reviews

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