REVIEW: Delusion: The Blue Blade (2019)

With the 2018 haunt season now dwindling to a distant memory and this fall's impending offerings little more than a faint glimmer on the Halloween horizon, we're in a bit of a creepy dead zone at the moment - such is winter, I suppose. 

And then an invitation appeared in my inbox - an invitation to shake off the shackles of February and tear through the fabric of space and time as a participant in the latest iteration of Los Angeles' renowned interactive play Delusion: The Blue Blade. 

Really, how could I refuse?

I knew it had been a few years since I had experienced Delusion for myself, although it's never fallen off my radar because fellow Halloween fans are always raving about it. How long had it been, I pondered - four years? Five? 

More like a little over seven, in fact. Oof! Time takes its crazy toll, as they say. 

Gone was the rambling mansion setting of the first Delusion, as well as the horror-themed backstory. Instead, guests who choose to seek The Blue Blade can expect time travel, action/adventure, and a variety of impressive set pieces that evoke everything from Nazi Germany to the Mayan jungle and beyond. 

Interactive theater has certainly become more commonplace in LA since Delusion's 2011 premiere - in fact, I think it may have been the first interactive play I ever participated in. Impressive effects and an unparalleled attention to detail remain the production's strong points. I loved following various characters from location to location, helping my fellow "initiates" search for clues, and evading danger at every turn. 

Although the story and setting are different, not much has changed in terms of the level of interactivity and physicality Delusion demands from its audience: You can still expect to be touched, talked to, and called upon to perform tasks or solve puzzles (nothing too complex - this is not an escape room). You should still wear comfortable shoes and clothes, and bear in mind that you may be separated from the rest of your group,. 

Occasionally, I found the intricacies of the story a little hard to follow, but I enjoyed the production overall, and Delusion remains a unique voice in the local interactive theater scene that it helped pioneer nearly a decade ago. 

Devoted Delusion acolytes, complete newbies, and those who - like me - haven't visited in years will find something to love about this latest chapter in the saga. And, while it's not exactly horror, it will certainly scratch any Halloween itch that may plague you between now and March 17th, when The Blue Blade will be laid to rest - and, just maybe, a new tale may begin to take shape. 

Delusion: The Blue Blade runs through March 17, 2019. Shows run every Thursday through Sunday evening from 6:40pm to 11:40pm, with showtimes throughout the night. Tickets are on sale now.