Interview & Review: Delusion haunts The Red Castle
Delusion creator Jon Braver on resurrecting old characters at a new location for his Halloween 2024 interactive theatre production, The Red Castle
After three years at the Phillips Mansion in Pomona, Delusion Interactive Theatre is at a new location for Halloween 2024: The Stimson House in downtown Los Angeles has been turned into The Red Castle, a secret asylum where patients are both psychotic and psychic. Missing in action is asylum owner Dr. Lowell (from 2012’s Delusion: The Blood Rite), who hopes to harvest his patients’ psychic skills to resurrect his late wife. During the doctor’s absence, other characters have seized control of the various floors, and it is up to the audience to navigate a pathway through the madness to find out whether Lowell succeeds.
Along the way, there are many opportunities to be singled out for special treatment. You may use your telekinetic ability to snatch a gun from a madman. You may ride a child’s tricycle down the asylum’s haunted hallways. You may play hide-and-seek to save yourself from execution by decapitation. Good hiding places, unfortunately, are scarce.
To learn more about Halloween 2024’s edition of Delusion Interactive Theatre, we sat down with creator-writer-director Jon Braver in the event’s VIP bar on media night. We talked about resurrecting old characters in a new venue, about the way a location can shape a storyline, and about the way that Halloween haunting in Los Angeles has changed over the past decade – due in no small part to Delusion.
Delusion The Red Castle: Jon Braver Interview
Delusion is escapism. You get to do something you would normally never do and live in this other world, where the actors are talking to you, so it’s like you’re inside of a living movie.
HOLLYWOOD GOTHIQUE: Did you go into the Stimson house with your story ready, or did the new venue inspire you?
JON BRAVER: I had an idea about bringing back some characters from previous years. Last year, there was an Easter egg that no one ever saw, and it was relating to this show. At the end of Nocturnes & Nightmares, after you burned the book [containing all the Delusion stories up to that point], there was one page left. It was The Blood Rite from 2012, and that was the Dr Lowell story. I’m not calling this new show The Blood Rite, because the motivations of Dr Lowell are different. Originally, he was more of an evil character, but in this one, his wife committed suicide a year ago. All he wants is to resurrect her, and his patients are the key.
This is a beautiful venue, but it is very expensive, which adjusted the writing process. I couldn’t build a bunch of stuff, but you put in cool lighting and some haze, and it lends itself to a great story.
There were other options for bringing back characters like vampires [from His Crimson Queen], but I liked the idea of this venue being a clandestine asylum. This is a beautiful place that probably nobody in L.A. knows about, but it is very expensive, which adjusted the writing process. I couldn’t build a bunch of stuff, but you put in cool lighting and some haze, and it lends itself to a great story. The patients are dwindling, and their master is gone. So what are people who remain doing? The first floor was taken over by Nicholas, and the second floor is Julia and Mama, and then you have the Archbishop and the Deacon cleansing everybody of sin on the third floor.
HOLLYWOOD GOTHIQUE: You mention not being able to build much inside this venue. Were there other limitations?
Jon Braver: This place is owned by the church, so they needed the script first. I had to adjust my thinking based on their requirements, which led to certain other decisions about what I can do, but I can’t think of one specific thing.
This one doesn’t have as many stunts as previous years, but it’s a different vibe. Some people might be disappointed with that because they want to see more, but you get really cool interaction with these characters.
HOLLYWOOD GOTHIQUE: All of the usual Delusion elements are here, but how would you say The Red Castle compares to previous installments?
JON BRAVER: Some of them are more stunt heavy; other ones have more creatures and more interaction between actors. This one doesn’t have as many stunts as previous years, but it’s a different vibe. Some people might be disappointed with that because they want to see more, but you get really cool interaction with these characters that we never had in the past. This year I wanted to have more split paths, so you can do the bike ride with Julia, and you can be taken by Vora into the theater and rehearse her plays. There is a lot more of that going on, which is a hell of a lot of fun. Those are hard to do sometimes because of the flow of the show. Because this is a different venue, it worked out a little bit more. I’ve heard people talking about it afterwards: “I want to come back and ride the bike!” That’s such a Shining moment – on that bike, riding through this long hallway.
These people [at the Stimson House] are sane. Pomona was pretty sane. But [at every venue] prior to Pomona…we had to deal with psychosis. Not only psychosis in terms of their mental capacity but their illusions of grandeur. They think that their place is worth so much more because people are going to want to film there and spend all this money.
HOLLYWOOD GOTHIQUE: Do you have a favorite venue from the past years?
JON BRAVER: I love [Phillips Mansion in] Pomona because we had two mansions for the price of one. It was a great venue because I could rig things easier, but they came with complications, like their decrepit nature. I think ‘The Stimson House] is the most beautiful and iconic place we’ve ever had. But the locations for me personally have a relationship to the memory of the writing and being there, so it’s not just a favorite venue; it’s a favorite time of my life. So it’s hard to discern which is my favorite.
HOLLYWOOD GOTHIQUE: I ask because your first show was at the Beckett Mansion, which looks like a haunted house, and since then it seems like everybody else ends up there sooner or later, like House of Spirits in 2019, Demonic Dragway last Halloween, and Creep LA this year. So you put it on the map.
JON BRAVER: That’s right, and I love it. That place is still in the same damn condition that it was in 2011. They haven’t done shit to that place. It’s crazy. It’s gone through all these different weird owners. All these venues that we’ve had in the past, the owners are just fucking weird. These people [at the Stimson House] are sane. Pomona was pretty sane. There was a Historical Society of Pomona, and this woman named Deborah who ran the place is wonderful. But everything prior to Pomona…we had to deal with psychosis. Not only psychosis in terms of their mental capacity but their illusions of grandeur. They think that their place is worth so much more because people are going to want to film there and spend all this money.
The thing that keeps me going is reminding myself all the time that it is cool to do this Delusion thing. Who gets paid to do this stuff?
HOLLYWOOD GOTHIQUE:Â When you talk about the difficulties dealing with crazy people or other difficulties, what keeps you going?
JON BRAVER: I need a job! [laughs] What keeps me going? Well, not to get too crazy personal, but these are very difficult shows to put on. For years now, the joke with my friends is, “You keep saying this is your last one,” but the thing that keeps me going is reminding myself all the time that it is cool to do this Delusion thing. Who gets paid to do this stuff? I get to sit at home and write. I can imagine how it’s going to play out, and I know it’s going to come to life. You can write a script, and maybe the thing never gets made, but I know we’re opening September 20th. I know the audience is going to be there.
This probably is my last year directing and writing Delusion. I want to get some new blood in here.
For many years, I had to produce it, so it was my own money; it’s very liberating when somebody else puts some money up. But what really keeps me going is fans of the show. They’re like, “We came from out of town. We love Delusion. We love being a part of the worlds you create.” That kind of erases the torment of it for a while. It’s always still there, but [the fan reaction] softens it up a little bit. I’ll be honest. This probably is my last year directing and writing them. I want to get some new blood in here.
HOLLYWOOD GOTHIQUE: So you’d be like the equivalent of an executive producer in films?
JON BRAVER: Yeah, because I’m working on the Delusion movie. That’s my focus. We’re getting some producing partners now. That’s a long process. But the story is great; I’m very happy with the script.
HOLLYWOOD GOTHIQUE:Â I’d like to ask about how scaring people at Halloween has changed over the course of the last two decades. A big part of the answer is Delusion made everybody change, but I want your perspective on that.
JON BRAVER: I feel like it’s getting more sophisticated in some way. I’ve said many times I’m not trying to scare people. It’s just trying to put together a cool, suspenseful, dark mystery story. There are some scary moments of course, but scaring people is on different levels. There’s the jump-scare. Then there’s the psychological scare, the one that lingers for years. For me, that’s what Delusion is. You’re going to leave and you’re going to remember. You might not remember right now, but then in the next couple days you’ll remember this one sequence, and something will come up in your mind – like a character said this, and then it’ll pop up in a dream.
Scaring people is on different levels. There’s the jump-scare. Then there’s the psychological scare, the one that lingers for years. For me, that’s what Delusion is.
As for the Halloween evolution, I think haunted houses will always be haunted houses, but anything that’s moved on from that has to be so sophisticated. It’s hard to please people. I mean, as I’m getting older, I’m definitely more cynical and jaded about this stuff – which is actually pretty good, because as I’m writing these things, I’m like, “Would I buy this?” I feel like it just has to be a compelling story, and I’m writing it for the super fans of the show. There will be people who are like, “I wanted more jump scares.” Well, that’s not what this is.
HOLLYWOOD GOTHIQUE: Let me follow up by slightly rephrasing. Do you think you’ve raised the bar for Halloween, because once upon a time, a jump-scare was enough, and I think it kind of isn’t now. Even something as elaborate as Halloween Horror Nights – the sets are great and all that, but basically, you’re walking through and getting the flash of strobe light with the same character jumping at you in 10 different rooms. Whereas Delusion is an hour-long experience. You’re immersed in it, and you’re involved in it. It’s not just elevating the scares but elevating the whole approach. Walking through a maze – that’s not cutting it anymore.
JON BRAVER:Â Yeah, that’s the sophistication of it. People want more intimacy, and they want more engagement; they want more agency in things. You almost have to like strip it down to 10-to-12 people every 10-15 minutes – it’s the only way to achieve the intimacy. If you’re going to just barrel through something like a haunted house, you can’t engage. It’s just quick instant gratification.
People want more engagement. If you’re going to just barrel through something like a haunted house, you can’t engage. It’s just quick instant gratification.
But have we upped the game? That’s very flattering, but I don’t know. This really hearkens back to when I was a stunt man, and I got to do really crazy shit like driving down the street and crashing through plate glass. The idea for Delusion is you get to play. It’s the escapism. You get to do something you would normally never do and live in this other world, where the actors are talking to you, so it’s like you’re inside of a living movie. I think the audience is expecting more these days. I don’t try to let that bother me too much or steer me in a certain direction, because I’m not interested in upping the game every time. That’s not a motivation for me. I just want to make a fun adventure for people; that’s the motivation. It’s just like, Here’s a new venue. What can I do that’s compelling?
Note: The transcript has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
Review: Delusion - The Red Castle
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VIP Experience
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General Admission
Rating Scale
0 – Awful
1 – Poor
2 – Mediocre
3 – Good
4 – Great
5 – Excellent
Bottom Line: The General Admission portion of The Red Castle is good; the VIP upgrades make it great. We recommend the no-frills experience for those with tight purse strings. We highly recommend the Ward D ticket for those who can afford it. Just be ready to scream like a maniac in the Christmas room.
The Red Castle Review: Introduction
By now we all know what to expect from Delusion: action, stunts, and special effects wrapped in a sinister storyline affording interaction between actors and audience, all of it staged within an immersive environment that feels less like the setting of a play than an eerie alternate reality. The question for each new iteration is how the familiar tropes can be played with interesting variations in plot, character, and setting.
The Red Castle pulls this off by, ironically, placing old characters in a new setting. Once again, the audience is playing the psychic patients of Dr. Lowell, who hopes their powers will resurrect his late wife. But the obstacles and dangers encountered inside the titular manse (played by the Stimson House) are altogether unexpected, creating an entirely new adventure.
The Red Castle Review: Play Your Part
The story starts outside, where you your telekinetic powers fend off an aggressive gardener (who flies away courtesy of a nice bungie jumping effect), then proceeds up three levels of Dr. Lowell’s secret asylum. Typical for a Delusion scenario, you are dragged along by characters telling you what to do and warning you not to listen to others; names fly by so fast you will not keep track unless you go back a second time, but if you simply surrender to the experience and participate as actively as possible, you will enjoy the rush.
It’s a bit like a fast-paced action movie, in which the exciting car chases and shoot outs eclipse concerns about following the plot. Here, the visceral thrill of participation is key, whether or not you’re emotionally engaged in Lowell’s grief-driven quest. Eventually, the story builds to a climax in the basement, but at least when we attended, overcrowding made it hard to see what was happening, and a moment later, a pushed plunger on a detonator yielded no sign of explosion, either audible or visible. Perhaps more important, we weren’t invested enough in the outcome to care whether the Red Castle collapsed like the House of Usher, but going out with a bang would have assuaged our disappointment.
Of course, it is in the nature of Delusion that your mileage may vary. With so many opportunities to split from the group and receive personal attention from the asylum inhabitants, each participant’s experience is bound to be very different. Take advantage, or you will be missing the best part of The Red Castle.
The Red Castle Review: Ward D VIP Experience
Besides participating in The Red Castle, General Admission ticket holders get access to food and beverages at an outdoor seating area, plus a bar inside a second building near the main house. As always, it is fun to sit and have a drink while exchanging notes with other participants about side quests you may have missed inside the main venue.
A higher ticket price for the Ward D VIP Experience grants access to the Ward D VIP Lounge tucked behind the front bar. Decorated with props and set pieces, the VIP lounge feels like an extension of The Red Castle. There is a separate cocktail menu of themed drinks such as The Deacon (vodka, cranberry and grapefruit juice, with a lemon wedge), but the bartenders will gladly serve options from the main bar as well. Characters occasionally wander in from the main show for a little demented dialogue, and you might even get to rub shoulders with the show’s creator, Jon Braver.
The highlight of the Ward D VIP Experience is an opportunity to re-enter The Red Castle and play a more active role. A memorable scene takes place in a room decorated for Christmas, where the audience tries to sneak past comatose inmates who suddenly erupt into pandemonium, screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs. In the VIP Experience, you are given hospital smocks and play the patients, which is a hoot – or can be, if that’s the sound you choose to make when it’s time to go crazy. It’s similar to a scene from last year’s Nocturnes & Nightmares, in which audience members played bodies who come to life; in that scene, however, there was little to do except lie still and then stand up. Here, the opportunity to deliver thirty seconds of insane ranting is quite invigorating – rather like Primal Scream Therapy.
The Red Castle Review: Conclusion
What sets The Red Castle apart from previous installments of Delusion? Three things stand out:
- The Stimson House: The magnificent exterior immediately sets the scene, and the interiors are exploited to excellent effect.
- Telekinesis: Cast as Dr. Lowell’s psychic patients, the audience can move objects and people with their minds. Though given only one or two opportunities to do this, it creates a thrilling sense of interactivity as you fend off the crazy gardener or seize a gun from an assailant.
- The Ward D VIP Experience: The VIP lounge extends the immersive effect even after you have finished the play. Even better is the chance to don costumes for a role in the Christmas scene.
As we have come to expect, the costumes, lighting, and other production values immerse you in the play’s Delusional world, and the cast treads the fine line – or, rather, oversteps the fine line separating actors from audience, enhancing the participatory feeling that is Delusion‘s hallmark.
What we don’t quite get is a satisfying sense of dramatic engagement. Dr. Lowell’s quest to resurrect his late wife is meant to engender sympathy, but with the character mostly offstage, it is difficult to emotionally invest in him or his motives. Other characters make memorable impressions on a scene-by-scene basis, especially when those scenes offer personal interaction; however, their roles in the overall narrative are difficult to grasp when your overriding, immediate concern is hiding/escaping/running away from them.
Perhaps it is nostalgia, but for us, Delusion‘s most satisfying drama remains 2016’s His Crimson Queen, which blended exciting scares and solid storytelling to near perfection. The Red Castle is not so involving; nevertheless, its ancient turrets and haunted hallways house terror more penetrating and personal than any Halloween theme park can provide.
Delusion: The Red Castle continues at the Stimson House on select nights through November 3, with sessions at 10-minute intervals beginning at 7pm. Tickets start at $109.99 for General Admission and $144.99 for Ward D: VIP Experience. The Stimson House is located at 2421 Figueroa Street in Los Angeles; the parking lot is next door. Get more information at enterdelusion.com.
Delusion: The Red Castle Photographs
