5 out of 5 stars A Hollywood Horror Story
Reviewed · Updated
Ingrid Garner is captivating.
I went into this show not knowing anything about Vampira or the old Hollywood elite. However, I don't think that took away from the show, if anything it probably enhanced it. Everything presented on the stage was brand new to me.
In brief, it's the sharing of the history of Vampira, TV's first horror-show host. In an early Hollywood system that is well-known for using and then discarding women, Garner tells the story of Vampira's resilience and staying power and why she's "the matriarch of misfits."
This show is borne out of incredible passion for the topic – and research to back it up. The result is a splendidly-engaging deep dive into this incredible woman's life.
Ingrid is well-known for her previous work Eleanor's Story which has received rave reviews across dozens of Fringes. This story, while wildly different in content and tone, brings that exact same historical specificity and performance.
When she slips into her character, she completely disappears. It was actually quite jarring at the end when she slipped out and thanked the audience as herself. Who was this person on the stage? Where did she come from?
Tickets are still available for this one. I'd recommend making them unavailable, by going.
