Losing a child. Obsession. Postpartum depression. A steampunk storytelling troupe is exposing your innermost fears.
- Orlando show exposes innermost fears
- Phantasmagoria troupe is in its 8th year
- Production includes sword swallower, fire dancers
"We've decided to go a little darker and deeper into psychological horror," Phantasmagoria's writer and director John DiDonna said.
Phantasmagoria VIII: The Chains of Fire is literature-based. The production is now in its eighth year in Orlando.
DiDonna said he takes a year to research poets and authors, and comes up with a visual interpretation.
One of the new elements this year is an honest-to-goodness sword swallower.
"The trick of sword swallowing is - there is no trick," DiDonna said. "She swallows a sword."
WATCH: What are you afraid of? @PhantasOrlando is back for another #Halloween and they are after your deepest fears: https://t.co/3g400v0J7y pic.twitter.com/6efSPoT1Sh
— News 13 (@MyNews13) October 10, 2017
Vera Vermillion is the sword swallower. She studies things like microbiology and genetics and has a deep curiosity for anatomy.
"It's more of an interest in being able to control your body," Vermillion said, as she swallowed a hedge trimmer right in front of our faces. Oh, and during the show, you might be the one to pull an even longer sword out of her mouth.
Eesh, but - yep.
"I started with coat hangers," she said. "You straighten out a coat hanger - which I do not suggest!"
Meanwhile, sideshows are happening outside of the theater throughout the night, involving fearless fire dancers.
Phantasmagoria VIII: The Chains of Fire runs Oct. 13 - Nov. 4 at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center.
Tickets start at $15.