GETTING STRANGE AT GHOSTBUSTERS-THE MOVIE EXPERIENCE

Photography by Michael Bemma at Bemma Photography

After absorbing all the goodness at The Secret Sessions’ Ghostbusters-The Movie Experience at the Redwood Theatre the other night, it does make you think how great the show is days after.  Everything about it and all the small and big details that were put into this spectacular theatre immersion show was downright amazing and had that WOW factor.   From the beginning that we stepped into the theatre, we were curious as to what was about to take place and how we can immerse ourselves to the experience.  It did not take long as we went into the corner of theatre to speak to Raymond Stantz, who is played by Matthew Nadeau, who shows us how all where the vapours and slimers are stored.  We then go play a card game with Dr. Venkman who is played by Will Conlon to figure out whether or not we have ESP to guess what card he has in hands.   We then go see what Egon Spengler, played by Sean C Dwyer, and Dana Barrett is up to, played by Erin Eldershaw, and we experience the slime on our bodies to really immerse ourselves in this experience.

Photography by Michael Bemma at Bemma Photography

When we were really into the separate immersive experience before the screening of the film in the past Secret Sessions such as Casablanca and Shaun of the Dead, this time around we were into the re-enactment of the film while the film was playing.  Much of that build-up would have to go to Julian Frid who plays a variety of roles in the film but plays the Mayor of New York when he does the intro before the film and he gets up really excited for this session.  This part of the whole experience has to be the most pivotal part of the show because it really gets the audience thinking of how the whole cast is going to pull this off and to expect the unexpected.  But after noticing after four great shows in the past two years, the re-enactments during the duration of the film is where this cast shines and this is where they have built their cult following.  The Secret Sessions does it so seamlessly with the film Ghostbusters and there are points in the show that you just wanted to see more of the stage acting.

Although, when you are watching the film in the show, you see so many legends and actors from the past who have paved the way.  Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, and the late Harold Ramis just goes to show you how their SNL influenced comedic acting has influenced those in the business today.  You forget how witty the script is in the film and how the sarcastic humour really carries the film making it a classic in its day.  It may be Halloween season and the film Ghostbusters goes well with it but the audience forgets how great the acting is in the film and how it can difficult to transfer this to a theatrical style.  There may be a lot of special effects in the film that much of us wanted to see when we were younger but a lot of us did not understand that there was that true New York style, Seinfeld, Larry David  humour in this film in which the Secret Sessions had to reopen and reenact for their audience in Toronto.

Photography by Michael Bemma at Bemma Photography

What we loved most about the Ghostbuster-The Movie Experience was that there were many surprises “along the way”.    There were many that were physical such as our Slimer cocktails and that there were many stages to the performance meaning that there were a front, side, and backstage to the performance.  We loved those emotional surprises between Dr. Venkman and Dana Barrett and how their romantic interludes were funny and how they should be revisited.  The romance between the two was performed so well by Will Conlon and Erin Eldershaw that these scenes had to be up there with the likes of When Harry Met Sally.   Overall, the Ghostbusters-The Movie Experience is The Secret Sessions’ best show yet because it is where they really craft their cult and run the line of having the audience know what to expect and know what not to expect which is where The Secret Session’s amps up their game this Halloween season.  The Secret Sessions’ Ghostbuster-The Movie Experience was legitimately unexpectedly unforgettable.

www.thesecretsessions.ca