To Hunt a Killer | Dark Stories
Like a Halloween maze experience, except with fewer jump-scares and more narrative. To Hunt a Killer was an entertaining promenade piece full of hilarity and spooky vibes.
We started the experience by being introduced to the two police officers who would guide us, the volunteers, through the bushland. A serial killer had broken out of a local prison and was on a killing spree. Tracked to JC Slaughter Falls, the volunteers were tasked with assisting the police in their hunt for the criminal.
As I had expected a more serious or spooky narrative, I was surprised to find the script to be so funny. The actors had some excellent comedic timing when interacting with audience members. They also performed well under the pressure of improvising to their environment and new audience groups. Some of the dialogue between the actors, however, felt stiff at times. It didn’t take away from the piece overall and the rigidity may have just been a style of comedy that I’m not used to.
To Hunt a Killer had a distinct connection to Brisbane|Meanjin. The team constructed the narrative around a specific site that is well known to many Brisbanians, which absolutely made this piece special. Equally, this would be a cool experience for those visiting the city and would give an opportunity to explore a popular area in Brisbane in an experience you just would not get during the day. There is something so chilling about being in an public area in pure darkness. Being engulfed in darkness can make you feel like, unbeknownst to you, you could be being watched from every direction.
I loved how the actor’s sprinkled clues throughout the script. I felt, however, that the creative team could have placed some of the interactive clues in more inventive ways. Regardless of this, I was invested and engaged in each clue.
Overall, this show is a fun night out that certainly differs from other interactive pieces I’ve seen lately. It’s a perfect night out for lovers of true crime, thrillers and mysteries, haunted mazes, dark places, and whodunnit.
