There’s a feral creature lurking in the dark woods of Saanichton this Halloween, bringing a howling good time to Heritage Acres. Written by David Elendune and Ian Case of theatre company 31 Iguanas, High Moon combines spooky horror, campy Westerns, and a dose of political commentary in an alternative theatre format.
“My motto is to give people intelligent entertainment, and sometimes with a play you go more for the entertaining, and sometimes you go more for the intelligence,” says Elendune, who mentions that there are definite political overtones to the piece. “The great thing about horror or sci-fi is that you can tell stuff about today without lecturing people.”
High Moon will be presented in an alternative theatre structure, held on location at Heritage Acres, where viewers will be standing and walking around for about an hour to different areas of the venue. Elendune says that compared to traditional theatre, the on-site nature of this production will provide viewers a unique experience.
“I think it’ll be completely different than what people expect, what they’re used to in a normal black-box type theatre,” he says. “It’s going to be pitch black out there, once you’re away from the road where the town is. It’s silent, it’s dark, you’re going to be there with 40 or 50 people walking through the woods, and we’re going to tell you a story. It’s going to be immersive.”
Co-writer Case says that this adventure is a way for him to branch out from traditional theatrical storytelling techniques, and he is diving into the lore of the lycanthrope.
“The interesting thing about the Wolfman story is while there’s lots of myth around lycanthropes throughout human history, there’s no classical Wolfman story, other than the Ron Chaney movie, and so that’s what really started the Wolfman story,” says Case. “After doing 15 years of classical stories, I thought it would be fun to do an original one.”
Since this is an outdoor production, viewers can expect it to happen regardless of inclement weather, says Case, so people should be prepared for the worst.
“We’re doing it rain or shine,” he says. “My hope is that it’s not going to pour down, but it might, so people should wear appropriate clothing, sweaters, layers, and if it looks like rain, then galoshes and umbrellas.”
Elendune says that viewers can come for the scares, the fun, the politics, or all of the above, but perhaps this play is not for the weakest of hearts.
“If you want to delve deeper into the politics in it, you can, or you can just enjoy it on the surface level of werewolves and cowboys,” says Elendune. “It’s going to be fun, and it’s going to be different. You’ll be wandering about in the dark woods, and if you do get easily scared, then come with somebody who you can hold your hand with.”
High Moon
Various days and times, October 15 to 31
$25-$35, Heritage Acres
31-iguanas.tickit.ca