Come in from the cold to the Red Sandcastle Theatre for a hot night of debauchery, dirty deeds, and death. Eldritch Theatre’s Night at the Grand Guignol, written and directed by Eldritch’s Artistic Director Eric Woolfe, revives a piece of theatrical history with its own unique twist. Fraught with feverish fables, feisty femmes fatale, and fearsome frights, Night at the Grand Guignol is a feather in Eldritch Theatre’s cap.

Night at the Grand Guignol consists of several stories based on the originals from the Théâtre du Grand-Guignol, a real theatre which produced horror and gore theatre beginning in 1897. Eldritch’s production asks audiences to imagine that they’re attending on a night in the 1920’s, the hey-day of the real theatre, as they witness untold tragedies unfold before them. Between the stories, the performers regale the audience with facts about the real Théâtre du Grand-Guignol, its writers and stars, fully immersing us in the ambiance and history of Night at the Grand Guignol. This play serves as both homage and rebirth, as these Parisian stories get a decidedly Eldritch spin to them for this production.

And honestly, that’s probably my favourite part about Night at the Grand Guignol: though the stories are based on the ones originally performed over a hundred years ago, they have been expertly Eldritchified by Eric Woolfe while still retaining their original structures. Mentions of the Fishmascher family immediately had me laughing, along with running gags around the German word “nein”, super rabies, and more. They even reference the shrunken heads in their “Water Closet of Curiosities” which I dare not step foot in. Of course, my absolute favourite, is the repeated mention of “The Dread Necronomicon of the Mad Arab Abdul Al Hazrad” which I think might have had the most repeats in a single show thus far (though I’ll defer to Eric on that statistic), much to my cackling and delight! This is peak Eldritch Theatre to me; horrifying stories yet told in a way which makes me both laugh and hope that I’ll be able to sleep that night (I did, for the record!). Their unique brand of stylized gore and horror makes Night at the Grand Guignol a perfect play to introduce audience members to the wild world of Eldritch Theatre.

Jeanie Calleja, Pip Dwyer, and Natalia Bushnik are the charismatic chorus bringing Night at the Grand Guignol back from the dead. Playing everything from aged insane asylum patients, to naughty nurses, mad scientists to murderous circus hobos, these three performers do it all. They deftly navigate their way through their multiple characters and scene changes, making every moment feel like it’s a part of the evening’s eerie spectacle. I think the “Orgy at the Lighthouse” story is my favourite, as all three actors give such funny and unexpected performances, and the story takes so many twists and turns. This truly stellar cast brings Woolfe’s vision to life with passion you can feel throughout the production.

Night at the Grand Guignol truly isn’t for the faint of heart, nor particularly for anyone under 18, however, it is one of the most hilarious and haunting shows I’ve had the pleasure of seeing at the Red Sandcastle Theatre. Eldritch Theatre routinely asks me to step outside my comfort zone, and walk with the spirits and ghouls, and every time I come out unscathed. Let your inner demons out to play with a Night at the Grand Guignol!

Night at the Grand Guignol runs until March 1. For more information and tickets, visit: https://eldritchtheatre.ca/guignol/

---

Cover Photo: Natalia Bushnik, Jeanie Calleja, and Pip Dwyer. Photo by Jack Woolfe.

---

Thank you to my Patrons:

Natalia, Steve, Brendan, Deborah, Eleanor

And to my supporters who’ve bought me a coffee:

Angelica and Paul, Anonymous, Adrianna, Caitlin, Jonathan, Jada, and Courtney

Would you like to become a Patron? Check out my Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Or, you can buy me a coffee at: buymeacoffee.com/aviewfromthebox