The Fall of the House of Usher: an exercise in atmosphere – John Threlfall
It was at about two-thirds of the way through opening night of The Fall of the House of Usher that I realized the mountain goat was staring at me. Not that it’s a particularly creepy mountain goat—in fact, it looks perfectly normal mounted on the wall at Craigdarroch Castle (where Usher is playing now through Halloween night)—but if the stuffed heads seem to be watching you, then you’ve got a good indication of how spooky this show can get.
In fact, the whole cast is well-matched to this archetypal tale of things that go bump in the night. Tim Sutherland is right at home as the rather Edgar Allen Poe-esque narrator, and his distinctive elocution easily fills the Castle’s spaces; Case himself seems to relish his turn as a disturbing doctor, which also gives him a rare opportunity to harangue the audience. And Natasha Enquist is truly disturbing as Usher’s silent sister, Madelaine; the white-face makeup only heightens her spectral presence, as it does with the entire cast.
But back to that goat. Unlike some of the other Castle shows (2004′s The War of the Worlds, say, or 2010′s Cursed Cabaret of Kelowna Day Taylor), the building actually becomes another character in Usher—which is, after all, about a big house. While the atmospheric lighting and scripted shocks encourage your imagination to run wild, the space itself seems lifted out of a Shirley Jackson story, a place where hauntings and possessions feel right at home. In fact, some of the show’s creepiest moments hinge on the Castle’s structure—dark hallways, sliding doors, hidden corridors—and it doesn’t take long before even the regular decor starts looking sinister. (With that in mind, I wouldn’t recommend this show for anyone younger than 12.)
As with any production inside Craigdarroch Castle, be prepared for stairs, a whole lot of walking (up, down, in, out) and to travel quickly. While cast members are there to prod you along, faster transitions always make for a better show; and one of the improvements in this production are the scenes where the characters converse while the audience is moving, instead of waiting for everyone to get settled. A measure of shuffling and sight-line issues is to be expected (hint: sitting up front on the floor of any scene will ensure you don’t miss anything), so it’s up to you to make sure you can see.
And keep an eye on that goat.
—John Threlfall
The Fall of the House of Usher
to October 31
Craigdarroch Castle
$25/$22 tickets must be purchase in advance at Ticket Rocket
