Scary Gift
It’s not often that one receives a “Haunting Kit” for their Mother’s Day gift.
Artists are trying everything they can to perform for folks and receive some income during this pandemic time.
I certainly know that our daughter, Emma, has done everything she can to stay afloat since she cannot perform or even have people in her studio to record their albums. Tough times for so many.
So, back in May, Em’s twin,Lana, thought of a neat gift to send out to me for Mother’s Day.
The famous “Geffen PlayHouse” decided to put on a few “Stayhouse” Zoom offerings and I was able to choose the play,”Someone Else’s House”.
This one man show was written and performed by the man who had the story to tell about a real life haunting that his family endured for the time they lived in the old “Johnson” house in Enfield, New Hampshire.
Written and performed by Jared Mezzocchi, the story (billed as “true” but understandably embellished) surrounds a 200-year-old New Hampshire home where his family once had a harrowing haunting experience.
A few weeks before the play even started the haunting kit arrived to the house. We were told not to open it but keep it at the ready for the play.
Last night we were invited into the Zoom room and told to dim the lights and get ready to make the atmosphere appropriate for this haunting tale.
Jared did a wonderful job of telling the true story of his family moving into this incredibly inexpensive home ( the move due to circumstances that made them in need of a new home immediately) which had many floors and rooms and a gorgeous, stained glass window at the front door. They couldn’t believe that this massive home was such a good price but it didn’t take long for things to go sideways for this his family. Jared’s brother was the one who still has the traumatizing memories of the house but Jared decided that he would research the story and turn it into a play.
Every once in awhile he would include a recording of his mum’s voice telling us a personal memory.
Each Zoom attendee was sent different members of the family photos in their haunting kit and the show was interactive at times as certain ‘zoomers’ were called upon to read the back of the photos to describe their Johnson family member.
Jared walked us through the history of the house and the family during the play. The special effects were so subtle and fun during the show. While he was speaking, for example, a lamp in the background might flicker and then die.
The story is incredible. I don’t want to give too much away but the head of the household made a stipulation in his will that not one thing in the home should ever be changed should he die. (Including furniture!)
Let’s just say that one of the first things that happened to the house was that Jared’s family decided to give it a fresh coat of white paint although the house had always been red.
Hmmmm. The spirits did NOT like that.
Jared and the Geffen group did a fantastic job of carrying us through the tale and the ending was a fun twist and had great special effects.
A BIG thank-you, to my daughter, Lana, for this fun and spooky gift!