Castle Blood never fails to bring a one-of-a-kind, talented cast that stands out every season. Unlike most haunts, the actors here don’t just jump in and out of scenes. Sure, you’ll get the occasional creature popping out of nowhere for a good jump scare, but these folks are all about face-to-face interactions—no hiding in the shadows. Each room has its own resident spirit, vampire, gypsy, witch, werewolf (I think that was a Cher song), or some other creepy character. This year, we came across about 20 of them in those cold stone walls. Every character is distinct, with their own unique personality, look, and role in the overall story. They either threw a game or a riddle at us to keep us moving in the right direction—or at least they tried to.
What makes it even better is that these actors aren’t just spitting out lines; they’re pros at improv, too. They have to be because, let’s face it, we’re a group of 20- to 40-year-old overgrown adolescents who love tossing out immature, inappropriate comments just to see if they can keep up. (Spoiler: They can.) And this year, they were pros at rolling with our nonsense, making the experience even more hilarious and personal.
We ran into some familiar faces this season, along with a few new ones. First up, as always, was Boris—the sarcastic, cranky vampire who’s clearly fed well, judging by his vest getting a little snugger each year. His hairline’s receding, too, but hey, that’s what happens when you’ve been stuck in a castle for centuries, right? Boris never fails to drag us in front of the crowd for some good old-fashioned humiliation, so here’s my chance to get even. In all seriousness, he’s got a tough job keeping everyone entertained, but he pulls it off with his signature “charm.” Then there’s Ezra, who, as always, laid out the rules and storyline for this year’s haunt, throwing in some good-natured jabs at us along the way.
Inside, we met Lady Die, a friendly demon who explained the plot and kicked things off with a trick. Loomis, the head butler, gave us some extra info and a token for later use. Speaking of head, Anatoli gave us head in the den after we solved a horror movie word game, as well as advice on how to use the head in the future. The mystical gypsy gave us a tarot reading, handing over a black heart to guide us.
In the lab, Professor Belfrey, a quirky scientist with boundless energy, had us try another puzzle, but of course, we failed—too busy laughing at electrocuting our friend. He was a riot before sending us off to the crypt, where we met Morgana, a fierce vampire vixen who made it clear she wanted our heart on… her altar, no questions asked. She was sharp-tongued and quick-witted, no-nonsense. With her thick accent, Madame Nightshade returned to her cryptozoology room, gave us wood, and had us compare the sizes of each others. She made sure to mock us, leaving us feeling hilariously inadequate.
Hexeva was back in Crow Haven, full of witchy energy, guiding us through our final puzzle. And finally, Madame Luara was our judge, giving us a surprisingly positive message despite our many failures.
We also met some new faces—or new to us, anyway, since Castle Blood rotates its cast. Vavara, a secluded siren with a smooth, sultry voice, whispered about “special protection” (no, not that kind) from things lurking in the dark. When she asked if we understood, I couldn’t resist: “Herpes?” I joked. Without missing a beat, she shot back, “That’s quite the pervasive spirit… one of the oldest hauntings we know of,” but assured us she meant something more immediate. After a quick game, she sent us on our way. In the viewing room, Astrid gave us a fun auditory game to move the plot along. Josetta, in the cemetery, was there to remind us of all our failures, just like my parents.
As always, the cast was stellar, making this interactive journey a total blast.
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