Paranormal Activity is a bad omen for Broadway
Does this play live up to the hype? Mashable was there opening night, ready to be scared senseless.
Broadway has become a platform for gimmicky productions. Even acclaimed shows, like Cats, have struggled to stay afloat. Producers now rely on adaptations of movies, TV shows, and popular intellectual properties. Recent examples include The Lost Boys: A New Musical, Titanique, Schmigadoon, and Dog Day Afternoon, while The Heated Rivalry found its way to an unofficial parody before a vinyl release. Even Beaches, a new musical, has received mixed reviews.
Paranormal Activity is the latest to join this trend. The play premiered in Leeds and made its way to the West End before opening on Broadway. While the show received positive buzz, it failed to deliver the expected theater experience. The play, written by Levi Holloway, is based on Oren Peli's 2007 film and centers on a married couple who move from Chicago to London.
The couple, James (Travis A. Knight) and Lou (Cher Álvarez), face paranormal phenomena in their new home. The story diverges from the source material, abandoning the found footage style and the franchise's lore.
Despite the hype surrounding the production, Paranormal Activity falls short of the spectacle Broadway demands. The jump scares, which are intended to provide thrills, fail to deliver the intended chills. The audience around me giggled or laughed, perhaps nervous from the scares or amused by the couple's banter. However, the atmosphere of a horror movie is lacking. Fans of the franchise will find it unrecognizable, as the play doesn't capture the essence of the source material.
Written by urgent.news from Mashable's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
