
How I miss the days when we all could complain that Halloween was getting too sluttyâoh, what I wouldnât give for a sexy Pikachu right now. Instead, this yearâs shaping up to have more of a lonely Havishamesque shut-in vibe that is a definite mood-killer, and not in a fun haunted house kind of way but more of a âguess Iâll sit on the couch eating 37 mini candy bars while I watch Rue McClanahan and a knock-off ALF in The Wickedest Witch ⌠againâ sort of way.
Do not give in to Halloween quarantine malaise! Although group-gatherings are out, seasonal spooks are still on the menu via local Seattle livestreams. Yeah, I know, itâs not the same, whatâs been the same as anything these last few monthsâand hey some of these streams actually look more fun than getting crammed onto a bus with drunk half-costumed amateurs as freezing PNW temperatures make you regret your choices. Instead, get comfortable on your couch for some fun movie-mockery, or an online seance, or drag show, or a midnight tango.
Without a doubt, the Halloween innovation Iâm most intrigued by is Cinema Obituary, a new project from Seattleâs never-not-funny Scott Shoemaker and his collaborators Uncle Basement (Freddy Molitch) and Richard Andriessen (aka Major Scales). Theyâll be riffing their way through film flops all Halloween long over on Twitch, starting at 8 pm with Susan Lucciâs Invitation to Hell. Now who could resist an invitation like that?
Also exciting is tonightâs Murderlesque, a killer burlesque and drag show featuring fantastic Seattle talent like Thistle Thornbox, Lil Tigre, and the stunning Vincent Milay. Iâd forgotten just how much I miss live burlesque shows until I saw the lineupâthese are some truly talented titilators, and the horror theme promises to make it unforgettable.
And of course, it wouldnât be Halloween without Collide-O-Scope. Shane and Michael always manage to outdo themselves with a mind-bending montage of curious cultural ephemera, with plenty of guts and gore. I expect to see lots of orgasmic horror screamsâyou know, the thing where something scary happens and the hero/heroineâs eyes widen, their hands reach to their faces, fingers splayed into horrified helpless claws, their lips part and the sound rises in their throats and then they let loose with a sonic blast of terror? One of those.
For something a bit more participatory, take a look at Mox Boarding Houseâs two brilliant ideas: First, an online Call of Cthulu one-shot, played via Discord. Descend into a creepy mountain lair where supernatural death and destruction awaits. The game starts at 5 pm today, so donât sleep on this one.
Also from Mox: A spooky effects painting class. Learn how to add creepy touches to your hand-painted models and minis, from blood spatters to rust to ghostly special effects. Have a camera and mic ready so you can share your work with the class.
Iâm also intrigued by the Victorian seance promised by Fort Nisquallyâor at least, I think itâs a seance? It might also be a lecture about the history of Victorian spiritualism. Or possibly both. Whatever. Letâs talk ghosts.
If spookies arenât your thing, check out Midnight Tango, a nocturnal dance adventure from the amazing Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace. Thereâs no Seattle connection with this one, Iâm just over the moon for how talented they are, and the setting of a late-night bar in Buenos Aires is a marvelous escape. This oneâs streaming all weekend, so no immediate rush.
And oh my, this might sound like a sarcastic joke, but I really mean it: For more Halloween fun, check out your local library. The King County Library System has gotten wonderfully inventive with fun online events for all agesâHalloween arts and craft classes, a spider show-and-tell, and a delightful storytime are just what harried parents need to keep youngsters occupied. And if some adults want to tune in and enjoy the fun as well, Iâm sure no one will mind.
Whewww, and thatâs only a handful of your optionsâgo check out EverOutâs full listings for more. Iâll see you next Halloween, when God willing weâll have so much steam to blow off the costume of the year will be âsexy nudist.â