Chicago Shakespeare Theater: Paranormal Activity
Cher Álvarez and Patrick Heusinger
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre Presents PARANORMAL ACTIVITY Review - Horror Movie On The Stage
TLDR: A story that’s in the same vein as the original movie, Chicago Shakes brings us a horror play just in time for Halloween. A couple newly moved to London finds they can’t escape from the darkness from before and we experience many jump scares as we unpack their pasts and what may have caused this haunting.
Cher Álvarez and Patrick Heusinger
Chicago Shakes Asks Us Do You Believe In Ghosts?
The couple who just uprooted their lives and moved to London definitely do. After years of being haunted by some kind of dark force, Lou and Jimmy, played by Cher Álvarez and Patrick Heusinger, think that putting an ocean between them and whatever it is would give them a fresh start. However, as Paranormal Activity’s tagline suggests, “places aren’t haunted, people are,” and 4,000 miles makes no difference. Strange things start happening like a faucet or the stove turning on by themselves. Or sometimes Lou seems to be downstairs, but suddenly we see her crossing the upstairs doorway. These strange happenings progressively get bigger and more scary as the show continues with lots of twists and turns. Slowly, bits from their past are revealed, hinting at how those events may be the reason they’re plagued by demonic forces now.
We see Jimmy slowly unraveling as Heusinger sits at the kitchen table surrounded by papers, reference books, and beer bottles. After a pivotal moment, we see him get more unhinged and scared as more and more unexplainable events happen to him and Lou.
Álvarez creates both regular Lou and haunted Lou. As Lou, she fights to be heard with Jimmy as she knows there’s definitely something haunting her as she’s lived with this her whole life. As haunted Lou, she perfected the deadpan voice and stare as she asks Jimmy to kiss her to make everything ok.
Your level of tolerance for scary movies will probably affect your viewing experience of Paranormal Activity. Luckily it sticks to the same scares as the movie and relies on suspense and jump scares and isn't a blood, guts, or body horror type of scary story. The most plaguing thing is the pit of anxiety sitting in the middle of our stomachs and chests that keeps building throughout each of the scenes. No spoilers here, but the illusions designer, Chris Fisher, crafted the “paranormal activities” so well that we don’t expect when they arrive and usher in a wave of screams from the audiences.
Cher Álvarez
Building a Haunted Atmosphere
The theatre is almost all pitch black as we take our seats. There’s no colorful curtain or show logo waiting to introduce us to the show. Instead it’s just a black curtain, spotlights shining down, and haze floating over our heads. As the curtain slowly rises, it reveals floor by floor the two level home where Lou and Jimmy have just moved into. It’s like the house was cut exactly in half to give us this spliced sideview inside. Designed by Fly Davis, it looks like a picturesque two bedroom starter home.
And while the set gives us that realistic feel, all the other theatrical elements needed to be crafted to be realistic as well, but still create a suspenseful environment, but also not so much to draw our attention and alert us that something was about to happen. At night when Jimmy and Lou are asleep in front of the television, the living room glows in blue light coming from the TV and a shadow crosses in the background. When cars drive by, we get their headlights shining through the front window and then fading as they turn. After something creepy happens in the spare bedroom, the hallway is pitch black as no one has turned on the hallway light, but we also can’t see anything that may be lurking while the rest of the house is lit. There’s ambient sound that we don’t realize is playing until it adds to our heightened anxiety.
We do lose a little suspense building as when a scene ends after a paranormal occurrence, the curtain comes down for resetting the scene etc. While it allows the audience to breathe and take in what the heck just happened, as we get closer to the end, we lose that building of suspense each time they have to bring the curtain down. Otherwise, everything came together to build each step of this horror play.
Patrick Heusinger
The After Party Thoughts
Paranormal Activity has just the right level of scare for a variety of horror fans (and non-horror fans). The fun part about this show was the collective audience experience. The audience member sitting next to us apologized in advance if she grabbed onto us as a reflex if she got scared. A guy sitting behind us let out an instinctive yelp at a suspenseful moment and everyone around laughed at his surprise. And anytime we get to a big scare moment, you hear the entire audience react from screams, to gasps, to overall shock.
There’s still a few questions about the plot and who may actually be haunted that I have that makes me want to go see this show again now that I know what’s coming and what to look for. All in all, this scaredy cat of a reviewer had a fun time out at Paranormal Activity. If you liked the original movie, you’ll most likely like this adaptation. It’s a new story, but still has similar themes and structure. And if you’re just a fan of suspense, horror stories, and jump scares, Paranormal Activity would be a great fit for you.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Cher Álvarez and Patrick Heusinger
When
Now through November 2, 2025
Where
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
800 E Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
Runtime: 2hrs 10min, including an intermission
Tickets
$30+
Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at (312) 595-5600 or through the Chicago Shakespeare Theater website
Photos
Kyle Flubacker
Cher Álvarez
CAST
Cher Álvarez (Lou)
Shannon Cochran (Carolanne)
Kate Fry (Mrs. Cotgrave)
Patrick Heusinger (James)
Sophie Kaegi (Ensemble)
Caron Buinis (Understudy)
Caroline Hendricks (Understudy)
Michael Holding (Understudy)
Hannah Goodman (Understudy)
CREATIVE
Levi Holloway (Playwright)
Felix Barrett (Director)
Fly Davis (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Anna Watson (Lighting Designer)
Gareth Fry (Sound Designer)
Luke Halls (Video & Projections Designer)
Chris Fisher (Illusions Designer)
Bob Mason (Casting)
Travis A. Knight (Assistant Director)
Camille Etchart (UK Associate Scenic Designer)
Frank McCollugh (US Associate Scenic Designer)
Abby May (US Associate Lighting Designer)
Will Pickens (US Associate Sound Designer)
Lianne Arnold (US Associate Video & Projections Designer)
Skylar Fox (Associate Illusions Designer)
Daniel Weissglass (Assistant Illusions Designer)
Melanie J. Lisby (Production Stage Manager)
Julie Jachym (Assistant Stage Manager)
Emma W. Lipson (Production Assistant)