I am thrilled I was able to catch The Queen’s Fools’ second Los Angeles season of HAG. This incredible show was written by Morgan Taylor and Mason Conrad, directed by Mason Conrad, and executive produced by Kristin Childers.

Your night starts before you arrive. Dillon Porter sends you an in-character email: you answered a Craigslist ad to help him evict some squatters living in his theater. When you get to the alley, you text him, he comes down to get you and you head up to the theater. I especially loved the in-character response, “got two losers (ur coworkers) running a little late. be sure to shame them when they arrive. Be there in a couple mins.”

On the way up, he keeps saying “Macbeth”. Out loud. Over and over. I’m a superstitious actor, so I literally said something to him about it, not realizing it was imperative to the story. Obviously it was in the script but it was starting to make me very uncomfortable…as it should.

The squatters turn out to be three witches with a Hocus Pocus vibe rooted in Macbeth. The show is heavily inspired by Shakespeare’s play and some of the dialogue comes straight from the script.

The sisters split you up and take you off for individual moments. I was with Clo who really used all of our senses in the experience. I don’t want to spoil the fun, but there are tests, a search around the theater for hidden items, and yes, a ritual. The ritual was choreographed in a way that reminded me a bit of Stomp with its unique musicality. I loved it and the uniquely positive energy that came with it.

The cast is incredible. Aly Trasher, Morgan Taylor and Anja Racic bring Clo, LaLa and Attie to life with excitement and joy. They have wonderful chemistry and bring so much energy to the show. The entire cast pulls you into the story without hesitation. Mason Conrad, who plays Dillon Porter, does a great job getting you in the door and setting it all up. The sisters keep you engaged from the moment they lay eyes on you until the end.

This is not a scary show. It’s silly, goofy and fun, with a very positive vibe. Executive producer Kristin Childers told us even the runes on the carpet were chosen for their good energy, because they didn’t want to bring anything negative into the space. Shakespeare’s Weird Sisters have never been so much fun!

The actors give an incredible performance and the rest of the tech supports the show in a cohesive, well-constructed way. The set is one room packed with props that keep you searching. The costumes, makeup and lighting effects are spot on. Heads up: there is some strobe lighting, so if you’re sensitive to strobes, it’s good to know before you go.

HAG plays early in the week, so you can do your weekend Halloween haunts and still have time to experience this not-scary “palate cleanser”. It may be sold out so let’s all pray to Hecate for an extension.

Website: thequeensfools.com

Thank you to The Queen’s Fools for inviting me.