88Twenty Group presents Hollywood & Vamp: 2021 Review
The Bourbon Room, Hollywood, CA
What do you imagine when you think of a vampire nightclub? Sultry? Seductive? Salacious? Scary?
With the exception of the last one, that's what 88Twenty Group’s new experience, Hollywood & Vamp, delivers with its adult-oriented combination immersive experience, haunted attraction, and dinner rock show. A relative newcomer to the immersive scene, 88Twenty came together last year when it produced its first show, Quaranscream, utilizing a wholly virtual format. For its second venture into the world of alternative theater, the company has secured a physical venue in the form of The Bourbon Room (formerly Cinescape), in Hollywood. This bar and restaurant establishment, patterned after the Rock of Ages hotspot and now actually hosting an intimate version of the popular stage performance, has an interest blend of elegant and grungy aesthetic, mixing warm, wood tone furnishings and a classic, golden age decor with traces of vintage relics of decades past, evoking the 80s in its both gritty and romanticized vibe.
The Bourbon Room features an ambiance that is at once swanky and grungy.
For Hollywood & Vamp, guests are invited to an evening soiree at a hot and edgy club in the provocative fringes of Hollywood (okay, so the venue is in the heart of Hollywood, but work with me here), drawn by the allure of the bloodsuckers who frequent the establishment. It seems like a good, harmless time, since these creatures of the night seem to coexist uneventfully with humans. But maybe not quite, becuase further to the end, a viewing window seems to display some sort of holding chamber with specimen for ritual sacrifices. That part’s a little unnerving, but then again, this is a vampire establishment.
From the moment guests step into the Bourbon Room, there’s a thick aura of lust and indulgence that seems to pervade the air. Dark and alluring figures make their way around the space, while a pair of sexy dancers, secured to nearby posts with long leather straps, provide an entertainment of enticement.
There are vamps at this establishment, and by vamps, I mean actual vampires.
These folks… these are not vampires. But they may soon be!
But there are intriguing characters to interact with at this bar. The Vampire Queen herself, Theda Bara, rules over this domain with a commanding femme fatale presence, tolerating no disrespect and literally looking down at her patrons when she makes announcements while standing on the bar. The elegant and controlled Vivian yields rank to Theda, but she appears to hold a substantial authority and power herself. Domineering galavanter, Slayer, is the resident rock star and all-around douchebag, full of arrogance and entitlement, and constantly focused on himself. The hedonistic and secret surprise-peddling Regan seems to move from lady to lady, playing paramour to each guest and satiater to anyone who inquires about a “Daywalker.” There’s also a junkie who serves as a hit of high to the vampires he willingly plays donor to, “Tasty,” a server who also willingly gives blood to this coven of damned, and a host of others. Then there are the operators who wear Bourbon Room or Crew shirts but unexpectedly appear to have acting parts. Perhaps these hiring shortages are really starting to impact the intersection of dining and theater. In any case, Hollywood & Vine is full of personalities to unlock.
Queen Theda rules above all at Hollywood & Vamp.
Vivian seems to manage the establishment but has her own ambitions.
Slayer is the resident villain of the bar and a chip off the 80s rock block.
See Regan for a “surprise” for those Daywalkers.
The energy that each of the actors brings to the experience is laced with latent melodrama. These are Hollywood vampires, so they combine the best (or worst?) of self-absorb celebrity ego with the sensual carryings and showmanship of fanged feasters. The influences of Rock of Ages are clearly felt in the 80’s glamour and grunge that the show ambiance takes on. And the general boozy atmosphere also ensures that the outwardly serious tone carries a twinkle of fun and sarcasm.
As the evening progresses, there are undercurrents of tension that reveal themselves. Theda doesn’t seem to appreciate Regan’s constant indulgence and fondness of human beings. Vivian can’t help but show her distaste and regret on Slayer, who she turned. And even some of the other vampires seem to show signs of tortured minds and souls over their fate as the eternally feeding undead.
Nothing to see here. Just dragging a body along. Nothing abnormal.
Hollywood & Vamp is a sultry and seedy shelter for the sanguine seeking.
At a certain point after mingling in the bar, guests are ushered to the showroom, where an 80s rock-infused concert breaks out. Hot guitar licks, banging percussions, and the melodies of Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crüe, Sweet, and even David Bowie (among others) fill the air. Interspaced between is a conflict infused with a bit of vampire existentialist crisis and power struggle. As guests sit at their tables, enjoying a drink or a meal and caught in between all of this madness and mayhem and subtly absurd drama, they wonder if they will really be able to escape all of this—or perhaps last until the sun comes up?
Once the music portion of the show begins, Slayer channels his 80s rock star through several rock covers.
Theda and her dancers also participate in a couple of numbers.
Seductive, sinister, sleazy… how many more ‘S’ adjectives can we use to describe this production?
Overall, Hollywood & Vine is a rollicking, campy, sexy theatrical experience with a Halloween vibe and a Hollywood vigor. There are no jump scares, and in that sense, it's less of a proper haunt than most other attractions I've visited this season. But it's a fantastical world that's delightful to fall into, with some of the intrigue and allure of a Creep L.A. show but less of the horror. The immersive theater experience is exactly that—full of role playing and investigation that is as rewarding as what one throws into it. This was a show that was on nobody’s radar at the start of Halloween season—probably because it wasn’t even a committed go until just a month ago. But it’s immediately become a fun immersive surprise and a great way to maintain the theatrics of the spooky as October starts to wind down.
No surprise that an immersive experience with vampires ends in a bloodbath.
But there are other distractions to point away from the feeding frenzy.
Hollywood & Vamp is located at The Bourbon Room, 6356 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028. There are three more shows playing: tonight, 10/20 plus next Tuesday and Wednesday night, 10/26 and 10/27. Tickets cost $75 and are still available and include admission plus a specialty cocktail. Use promo code QUEENTHEDA for $10 off. Parking is available at a structure South of Hollywood Blvd, between Ivar and Vine.
This is a fun and alternative October attraction that mixes elements of haunts and live entertainment that we love so much. And it plays on off-haunt nights, allowing haunt enthusiasts to still make their favorite haunted attractions the final two weekends of the month. For a production centered around vampires, this experience definitely doesn’t suck!
Architect. Photographer. Disney nerd. Haunt enthusiast. Travel bugged. Concert fiend. Asian.
