Review: EDGAR ALLAN POE SPEAKEASY at Franklin Theatre

The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is a distinctive theatrical experience that stages four of Poe's dark tales, "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Black Cat," "The Raven," and "The Masque of Red Death" as cast members serve the audience theme-inspired cocktails relevant to each of the staged scenarios.

The line outside the Franklin Theatre, that wrapped around the block on a chilly and windy evening, proved Poe’s fans don’t scare off too easily. Many donned period costumes and some dressed as Poe himself. They were ready for gothic intrigue, something mysterious, something macabre that only Poe could provide. Patrons exiting the theater from the prior show remarked how much fun it was, how unique and how much we would enjoy what they just experienced.

Inside, the lobby welcomed us with a dark yet elegantly eerie vibe. The stage was lit with flickering candles of various heights, strategically placed for an air of mystery that lay in the foreground of a heavy curtain backdrop reading, “Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy”.  

Entering the theatre, patrons grabbed the first cocktail of the evening, a blue elixir that paid homage to our first encounter, “The Tell-Tale Heart” as told by a nameless murderer who recounts his killing of an old innocent man. “He had the eye of a vulture – a pale blue eye with a film over it. Whenever it fell on me, my blood ran cold” unnervingly exclaims actor Brent Bentley. He portrayed the homicidal madman with a cold and morbid humor, yet playful, ala Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow. Bentley was interactive with the audience and warmed everybody up for the night ahead. The Pale Blue Eye cocktail, the blue eye being a blueberry, made the story a little easier to swallow with pours of blueberry vodka, lemon juice, and rose syrup. We’re intrigued. Give us more!

Next up - Grace Cipriani righteously embodied the self-justified boozy lady cat killer in “The Black Cat”. It’s a tale of violence, guilt and the destructive nature of alcoholism. The story finds its place in Poe’s horror genre as Cipriani walks us through the madness of her reasoning. We were told our cocktail, The Cat’s Meow, was Poe’s favorite drink and possibly the favorite of the audience as well. Otherwise known as Edgar’s Twisted Brandy Milk Punch, we all wanted more of this concoction of Kentucky bourbon, French brandy, vanilla cream, milk syrup, and half and half, embellished with star anise.

If Poe is known for anything, he is known for his magnum opus, the narrative poem, The Raven. Dustin Lafluer brought Poe’s masterpiece to life in this gothic classic about a grieving student lamenting over his lost love Lenore. He is visited by a raven named Nevermore who becomes the theme of his mournful, never-ending loss. Lafluer’s delivery was flawless. The Nevermore cocktail was as dark and bittersweet as the tale itself - tea, lime juice, orange peach blossom vodka, and charcoal powder with a lemon slice.

Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death is his allegory about the inevitability of death regardless of your wealth or social standing. Ashley Wolfe’s character exudes humanity’s desire to escape death, is a madness unto itself. Rounding out the evening was Cocktail of the Red Death teasing us with 100-proof vodka, cherry herring, benedictine liquor, lime juice, pineapple juice, and bitters.

Somewhere between a theatrical production and an emotionally charged recitation, Poe’s Speakeasy is an intriguing and eccentric form of pop-up theatre. The cast is friendly, accommodating, and excel in their theatrical performances. I would love to see more performances like this and suggest you treat yourself to any productions that come your way offering a unique and immersive audience experience.

Interesting facts about Poe’s death:

He was on a speaking tour in Baltimore for a literary magazine when he died at the age of 40 of unknown causes. He was found in a delirious state in someone else’s clothing. His last words were, “Lord, help my poor soul”.

Founders, Midnight Creative, offers this quote for our readers.

“The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is a unique experience that we have brought to over 150 cities across the country. Everyone who went through English class growing up was introduced to the works of Edgar Allan Poe in some way, shape, or form. We take Poe’s works such as The Raven, Black Cat, Tell Tale Heart and The Masque of Red Death and take them off the page and bring them to life on the stage with our creative adaptation. Our goal is to immerse the audience members into the dreary and macabre world of one of the literary world’s greatest writers. Throughout each show patrons will feel moved to laugh, cry and scream in terror, all while indulging in four delicious cocktails. It’s been a blessing to keep Edgar Allan Poe’s legacy alive all while bringing art and culture to cities across America large and small. This production has even taken us across seas and has been performed in Dublin, Ireland, Manchester, England, and Amsterdam.” Our company Midnight Creative has been producing pop-up theatrical live shows and cocktail experiences for 4 years now. The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy, although it has been our most successful production, is just one of many that we have brought to the masses. Julia Tirinnanzi is the writer of the show and when she is not crafting macabre theater productions, she is touring the country in her all-female metal core band “The Pretty Wild.”

For more information visit: www.edgarallanpoebar.com