Paranormal Activity Reviews

Washington Post- Highly Recommended

"...Ghost sightings in the theater usually mean Henrik Ibsen or a despondent Danish prince. A total fleece, in other words, if you’re a kid or can still think like one. But “Paranormal Activity,” an itinerant amusement at Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Harman Hall that’s as much a carnival-style haunted house as a domestic drama about a troubled marriage, will give even the most lizard-brained aesthetes among us their money’s worth and then some. If you’re game to have your soul harrow’d up and yer young blood froze by something other than the news, you are invited."

MetroWeekly- Somewhat Recommended

"...Alvarez and Knight work hard to overcome the painfully bad dialogue, and manage the staging with energy and aplomb. As medium Mrs. Cotgrave, Kate Frye brings some much-needed warmth and charisma, while Shannon Cochran's Carolanne is everything she needs to be, because who doesn't need another overbearing mother joke? Still, as pieces moving around a complex set, these are skilled performances."

Washington City Paper- Highly Recommended

"...A crowd of theatergoers stumbled blindly into the snow piled streets outside Shakespeare Theatre Company's Harman Hall. Expletive gasps abounded while everyone demanded to hear their own astonishment echoed in that of their companions. The energy among audience members leaving the press night for Paranormal Activity was that of unfettered adrenaline."

MD Theatre Guide- Highly Recommended

"...An admitted horror buff, I was quite excited for the opening of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s “Paranormal Activity.” I was still skeptical that theatre could truly deliver the jump scares, the chilling buildups, and the in-your-face ghastliness that make the cinematic horror genre such a guilty pleasure. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. Written by Levi Holloway (also responsible for the smash Broadway stage thriller, “Grey House”) and directed by Felix Barrett, “Paranormal Activity” most certainly delivers a night of spine-tingling surprises that leave you breathless, at times terrified, and definitely wanting more."

BroadwayWorld- Somewhat Recommended

"...Chicago-based leads Cher Alvarez and Travis A. Knight are fine in their roles and may even have some chemistry. But their dialogue is awfully thin and empty (especially on this stage)."

K Street Magazine- Highly Recommended

"...Paranormal Activity offers a different kind of drama. This is one that bypasses the brain and goes straight for the bones. It’s bold, it’s buzzy, and it’s undeniably fun in a scream-into-your-scarf sort of way. Consider this your warning — and your invitation."

DC Theater Arts- Highly Recommended

"...I expected to be surprised, but not in the way I ultimately was. At its best, theater is a kind of seance between the audience and the play, and even with its frozen-in-celluloid roots, Paranormal Activity facilitates that connection here with great success."