Bride of Blood: Review
I’ve been a fan of Titmouse’s many animated works coming into this and the venue being right next door to their Los Angeles studio was admittedly part of the initial allure for buying a ticket. The teaser trailer was also fairly intriguing in so far as it gives you a sense for what you’re about to see while also telling you nothing. Mostly a lost art for major productions these days...
Apart from the trailer and the venue being Titmouse Warehouse, I knew nothing going in. If you’re the type who likes going into things blind, just trust me and buy a ticket. The rest of you still reading this are going to get a taste for Bride of Blood’s current Los Angeles residency.
Bride of Blood is an original phantasmic adventure of King Solomon. The son of King David was famed as the wisest King in all the world. The King attempts to plumb occult Hebrew mysteries, but his understanding is challenged by Exodus 4:24. A perplexing passage in which Moses, his wife Zipporah and their child are endangered by the wrath of God. In his quest and mastery of occult secrets, Solomon is overtaken by his own pride and commits a serious infraction against the will of the Almighty. This opens a path for Asmodeus, A Demon of Wrath, to enter the land of the living.
Shortly after you’re seated in the venue, the lights go down, Hans Fjellestad’s compositions, based on themes by Graham Reynolds, take command of the audience’s attention with a cosmic score that is firmly laced throughout the production. Bride of Blood’s writer & director, Amit Itelman, along with his cast (Tom Ballatore as Asmodeus, Galen Howard as Jeremiah, Davey Johnson as Solomon, Aaron Kee as Nebuchadnezzar, Kathleen MacDonald as Wisdom, Kalea Neiviller as the Maiden, and Rediet Worku as the Queen of Sheba/Zipporah); lay a solid foundation on a narrative level for the technical elements of this play to shine. Similarly to how most genre films are, I personally felt the creatures and the technical elements of Bride of Blood are the stars of the show. Tech director Dominik Krzanoski and creature designer Amit Itelman have each collaborated with sizable teams that solidify turn this play into an experience.
It’s also worth noting that Fritz the Cat creator R. Crumb designed a very chaotic poster for Bride of Blood that I’d buy if there were prints for sale.
Despite having made a VR-play-hybrid myself, I admittedly haven’t been to many theatrical performances before. I however will say I had more fun watching Bride of Blood at Titmouse Warehouse than I have seeing Hamilton in New York. It could be the punk rock atmosphere of the venue, it could be the execution of the creatures and practical effects, it could be the cast and director’s take on biblical and Jewish folklore, but honestly, it’s the combination of it all that sets it apart for me.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that Bride of Blood is a cocktail that fans of the stage and cult cinema must taste.
If you’re in Los Angeles, you can get your tickets HERE
