A patron being prepped at ‘I Can’t See.’ Image: Psycho Clan
As we enter Shocktober, and everyone creeps up their Twitter handles and plunges into the depths of Yandy sexy reinterpretations of even the most mundane costumes, we’re caught searching for the right balance of terror and titillation. Enter I Can’t See, a new theatrical horror experience based on W.W Jacobs’ classic horror story, “The Toll-House.” It’s created by Timothy Haskell and Paul Smithyman, NYC Halloween veterans and the original members of Psycho Clan, the creative team behind Nightmare Haunted House, so you know they’ve picked up a few tricks and treats along the way to share this season.
You enter the space with your vision obstructed by a series of two blindfolds, ears muffled in headphones that direct your journey, and invest your trust in the “Optecs” team to lead you by the hand and nudge you towards umbilicals that bring you from scene to scene. The lab coat-clad crew preps you for pre-entry, checking in with you about your phobias and handing you a list of directives and objectives. Most notable: Don’t Die.
Keeping true to its name, most of the horror lives in your head, but the sensory experience is strong. Hands shove and nudge, there are moments of olfactory assault, and an ever present voice in your ear persistently reminding you of the dangers that lurk in the dark, as well as your own ability to make it through. There were moments when I could hear the screams of my fellow horror fans, but otherwise, you’re alone with the visions in your head, and trying to follow instructions for fear of “death,” or worse yet: ejection from the experience.
“I Can’t See,” 133 Greenwich Street, Financial District, through Nov. 3
