Name: Wicked Lit 2016 | A hidden gem in the immersive theater genre.
Item: Wicked Lit
Rating: 9.3
Author: Lauren Fair

Wicked Lit is a nonprofit immersive theater company in Altadena. Created by Unbound Productions, the ensemble has a new show each year around Halloween. The best part is the whole thing takes place in a Mausoleum and Cemetery. Read our Wicked Lit 2016 review and see why Wicked Lit 2017 can’t come soon enough.

We loved this show! Read our Wicked Lit 2016 Review

Wicked Lit 2016 Rating

9.3/10

LENGTH

3 Hours

PRICE

$40

LOCATION

LA

Wicked Lit 2016 Review

Wicked Lit 2016 *Spoilers*

Wicked Lit is broken down into three different immersive stories. They break the audience into three groups. Each group moves through each story, taking a short intermission between them. It is an excellent way to keep the groups smaller and give the attendees a short break.

This year the theme of the event was Camp Mountain View. Tents and camp counselors were there to greet us as we arrived. The creepy camp councilors were an excellent way to pass the time as we relaxed and partook in drinks and snack from the food bar.

After everyone had arrived, we were split up into groups of about 30. We headed into the back of the Mausoleum where we saw From Beyond.

It was a terrifically acted story about a scientist who manages to break into a new plane of existence. We followed his friend who is accused of killing the scientist. We found out that he is just trying to shut down the machine before it allows more creatures into our dimension. It is all for naught as creatures from the other dimension nearly kill everyone involved.

Image of From Beyond in our Wicked Lit 2016 Review

Image Unbound Productions

Our group moved next to the Shadowy Third. This immersive story was the tale of a husband enslaving his wife to steal her money. The Shadowy Third took place in the main hall of the Mausoleum and had a supremely mysterious air about it.

We learned that the husband had not only enslaved his wife but had killed her daughter with poison. Needless to say, we weren’t too sad when the ghost girl killed the husband at the end.

Finally, we headed over to the cemetery to see the third and final show, Anansi and the Demons. This story showed the conflict between white settlers and the locals in Africa. We follow a shaman Anansi and a white ambassadors trying to find a young boy. Anansi uses clever tricks to eventually steal a good deal of wealth from the white Ambassador. Don’t feel too sorry for him; we find out he was starving the local villagers.

Then we headed back to Camp Mountain View, and they sang us camp songs to end the night. The entire Wicked Lit event took around 3 hours from start to finish.

Wicked Lit Review: The Good

The Stories.

Wicked Lit does a fantastic job telling stories. We were swept up in From Beyond the moment we stepped into the mausoleum. We found ourselves running in excitement as we followed the characters through the plot. The 3 hours flew past faster than we could have imagined.

The acting

The actors of Wicked Lit 2016 were outstanding. They each played their characters perfectly, and it felt very real. It can’t be natural acting and running around with 30 people chasing after you. Even the camp counselors that entertained us during intermission were amazing. We looked forward to their interactions as much as the stories themselves.

The Set

The set and props were very well done this year. It doesn’t hurt that the event takes place in a Mausoleum and Cemetery as well. Lights and interactive elements added a great deal to the story. It’s hard for us to forget the hospital bed from The Shadowy Third.

The Theme and Overall Vibe

Wicked Lit created a great night. Every element from the stories to the Camp counselors worked well together. It’s hard to explain why exactly a theater has a good vibe; you just have to feel it. Wicked Lit 2016 had a great Vibe.

Image of Shadowy Third from our Wicked Lit 2016 Review

image from Unbound Productions

The Bad

Group Size

We had to work hard to find things that we didn’t like about this show. It really was excellent. That being said, we do tend to prefer immersive events where we are part of a smaller group. Thirty people per group at Wicked Lit did create some obstructions and blocked views.

We were pleased to find that Wicked Lit designed the show so that we never missed out on anything. We had a guide for each story who helped us through the world. Even with thirty other guests, we never missed any of the action, even if some views were occasionally blocked.

A few of the Props

There were a few props that felt a bit out of place. Ghostly creatures in the story From Beyond were too bright and felt a bit comical compared to the rest of the story/scenery. It would have been better to hide them further away or keep them in the darkness. Especially since so much of the other props for that show were so beautiful.

Wicked Lit by ScreenShot Productions

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Wicked Lit 2016 Review Summary

We loved going to see Wicked Lit this year. The stories were great, the acting was phenomenal, and the atmosphere was perfect. The show will probably be over by the time you read this but fear not. Wicked Lit is put on every year around Halloween. Head to UnboundProductions.com and sign up for their newsletter. Or, sign up for our newsletter, and we will let you know when they open ticket sales.

We will see you at Wicked Lit 2017.