Doctor Zomba’s Ghost Show of Terror

...if you are longing for some truly vintage scary Halloween fun and are into rare Americana then this is right up your haunted alley!

The show is silly fun, and provides a nice break from the angst pouring out of some of the Fringe's offerings. For the silliness a SILVER MEDAL.

What a great show! I love horror comedy. Dr. Zomba's Ghost Show of Terror does a fantastic job of establishing an eerie, unsettling atmosphere and infusing it with constant laughs. Dr. Zomba was really funny. Lots of solid jokes. Sirena's sexy-yet-bizarre dance number was unexpected and hysterical. The appearance of Dracula was stunning. The historical "ghost show" aspect of the performance was especially interesting, as I didn't know about this part of horror history, and really enjoyed the immersive moments when the room went black. Overall, a well-paced, fun show that's extremely entertaining.

A spooky fun time. Good humored take on the ol' time midnite Spook Shows w/ many of the gimmicks from yesteryear. Great energy and tempo to the show. It was fun to sit back and see someone else's take on this forgotten art and enjoy it from the audience perspective for a while. Right away you get the camp and humor of what's going to happen. Doctor Zomba has great energy for the show and his zomified assistant, Sirena, is a treat to behold. I also really enjoyed that this show wasn't just a collection of old routines and gimmicks done one after another. This show has a little bit of “drama” happening in it. A story to help tie everything together. Of course one of my favorite parts was the black out at the end when the spirits were set loose.

Ha ha, I really enjoyed this campy, corny, scary (not very), throwback to simpler times when live entertainment ruled. No, its not deep, but it is well-done, well-cast, and kept the audience in smiles and laughter. Dr Zomba, David Beach, is a natural for this role. I imagine him sitting in his small, dark, unheated room all week, just waiting for a chance to inhabit Dr Zomba. Three thumbs up!

I loved this show! Fun, campy. Laughed all the way through. Just a great spirit about the whole thing. Zomba & crew ROCKS!

I saw Doctor Zomba's on a preview night at 10:45. The house was packed and the venue, intimate, with the two elements blending to create a very communal experience. The play is fun, tongue firmly in cheek and never cynical. That's a wonderful quality given the context of the world we exist in. People left the show smiling. I chuckled at some of the sillier antics, feeling lighter as I walked back to my car.

Billed as ‘The strangest show on Earth', you'll love it, you'll hate it, you'll want to carve its heart out with a spoon. Doctor Zomba's Ghost Show Of Terror is beyond the silliest ghost and magic, late night feature you've ever seen, baffling to logic as to why it continues to sell out... Featuring spooky magic, comedy, a séance and a blackout immersive ending, Dr. Zomba and his captive assistant zombie Sirena, will mesmerize you with their completely mystifying ability to actually tell a joke and thoroughly entertain a crowd. ...Boisterous and amusing.

I saw this show (during preview week) with some friends and I admit I went in with pretty mediocre expectations (it sounded like an episode of an Elvira Halloween special I watched as a kid). It ended up being the very best show I've seen so far! The performers (and/or writers) didn't take themselves or their theme too seriously — they didn't try to disguise the obvious campy-ness of the script and props but rather played it up (like the hilariously delivered overly-dramatic warnings about the scariness and danger of summoning the spirits). Of course there's no Magic Castle level illusions, but the actor who played Dr. Zomba really connected with the audience and made even silly “magic” tricks surprisingly entertaining (and I admit some of the sleight of hand baffled me despite how close I was). The audience was really into it and laughed pretty hard and I was actually disappointed not to be chosen as the winner of the dead body. The dancer was captivating despite the “trance” state in which she supposedly performed her “Dance of the Damned” (and where can I get that thigh-holster knife sheath she wore? Very sexy!). The cameo by Dracula was hilarious and the fight scene between the two main characters got a huge laugh (and if you don't know what that music is — shame on you). I was surprised how good the effects looked for the summoning of the dead at the end too! There are a lot of shows to see at the festival but I'll probably be back to this one again.

Fun show that I only wish had more time to breathe but with a 40 minute time slot it is breakneck.The climax is of course the best part.

Saw the second week show for Dr. Zomba at the Complex, and had a blast. Didn't know terribly what to expect, but came away having a great time. The show had a mix of campy classic horror and humor, uncomplicated story line and unpredictable twists. Really enjoyed that the main character had the talent to work the crowd and interact with the audience; this drew me in quickly to the show, but then also plays up the horror aspect when you realize the host isn't whom you thought him to be. He owns the character. The other characters too aste also not what you initially expect and become more engaging throughout. The production makes good use of their space, and thought the blackout scene was very original and cool. Could easily see this type of show being a weekly cult show and modified to stay fresh every week for repeat views.

I got a chance to catch the opening night preview of Doc Zomba and the house was jam packed and fully into the "spirit" of the show. In the interest of full disclosure, the writer David Lucarelli is a good friend of mine, but I had a good time with his campy, frill-free tribute to the fright-fests of yore. It's a small cast, with a charmingly minimalist set, but that's exactly what it wants to be. You can almost hear Ed Wood and Elvira shouting their approval from the rafters, "Encore! Encore, Eargore, indeed!".

Dr. Zomba's character was well done. I think the overall theme was incredible good. I think that if you like spook shows and you like magic and comedy, you will like Dr. Zomba's Ghost Show of Terror.

I have been a Stage Actor for over 18 years. So this review comes from the aspect of a theatre person. First off I want to say I had a ball! The old time ghost show theme works very well. I felt like I was a kid again. The lead Actor David M Baach who plays Dr. Zomba is superb although he breaks the fourth wall quite often, this is that kind of show! It's a magical spoof that is meant to be campy and fun, it's easy to get onboard when you have a pro like David M Baech at the helm. The writing is excellent and so sublime that you would think that the whole thing is ad-libed this show is five stars. The direction of Kevin Wetmore is fantastic considering that they are playing essentially in a black box theatre. If you want to have some fun and return to your childhood for about 40 min. This is your show I plan on going again!

I drove in from Phoenix just to see Dr. Zomba's Ghost Show of Terror. This show has perfectly captured the essence of what the spook shows were--they were by no means polished, their purpose was to take your money and get out of town. But at least the performers were intelligent enough to realize that they had to provide some entertainment as well. All the elements are here--the giveaway of a Real Dead Body, an appearance by a Famous Monster and, of course, the Blackout. It's a great way to spend 40 minutes for anyone who has been even a little curious as to what these shows were really about.

We go to magic shows and midnight showings of Rocky Horror at least once a month, so we were prepared for some spooky fun that was a little cheesy. It certainly was cheesy, but not spooky or fun. Doctor Zomba starts with some magic tricks you'd likely see at a kid's party, but he clearly was struggling with the handling. We then move on to the plot and it holds promise, but a few moments are ill-timed (hand through curtain) so they don't have the fun impact they should. Sirena is gorgeous, I'd love to take her home for my hubby and I, but her dancing isn't the best nor presented in a funny way to make up for the lack of skill. There's an effect late into the show of Dracula's coffin which is so bad, I wish they would have played up how bad it is. The cabinet has a clear false back which leads between two curtains and the entire cabinet shakes and wobbles while Dracula vanishes from inside, only to have the doors open to reveal Dracula's hand fumbling to close the back panel in time. On a positive note, they did give us free "spirits" before the show. My suggestion if you do go, pre-game with plenty more spirits and it might make this show funny enough to be enjoyable.

This show was so much fun and a unique experience. It was the perfect mix of comedy, showmanship, and lore. You feel as if you've been transported to another time! Dr Zomba was a very entertaining performer. I enjoyed that it had a narrative mixed with variety show. I'm a big spooky fan so it was right up my alley!

Our group was very excited to see a Ghost Show after seeing some seances and bizarre magicians at Dickens Festivals and such. I love that they wanted to go with a campy vibe, unfortunately, the tricks didn't fit a Ghost Show and the actors clearly were not experienced magicians. This could have been one of those "so bad its good" situations, but the show and jokes devolve from there. My buddy's girlfriend wanted her money back, and I couldn't blame her. The night we went there was a malfunctioning effect in the seating area, so someone kept walking through the 30 person house talking to patrons and trying to get them to grab the element. This wasn't part of the show and was a bit distracting considering how small the venue is. I also noticed that pictures show a juggling portion and needle through the arm portion which were not performed when we saw the show. Maybe it was a REALLY bad night, but it seemed like the show just needed actual magicians and some better writing.

This was such a campy, good fun! I went at the last moment after a long day of Fringe-ing and this was a good way to cap off the day, Go check it out. If you're a horror or schlock genre movie aficionado then you'll appreciate it even more. Good humor, clever magic tricks, and any show that works in the “Amok Time” fight music from Star Trek deserves praise. It's tough to be critical of something so self-aware and overtly campy. They achieved their objective of having a goofy time out at the theater. I'm glad I caught this.

A really great time! Quirky, funny, magic, ventriloquism, audience interaction, dancing, and SPOOKINESS! Such a fun show all around, and a perfect addition to Fringe 2018! *Take a look at FringeTV's Backstage #2 video for a few moments with the cast and crew! It was well done all around, but the ending was FANTASTIC! I won't spoil it here. Go see it!

This show was a lot of fun. Saw a negative review. What a curmudgeon! If you don't like this show you don't have a sense of humor! Loved the dance! Blackout was awesome!

Very disappointing experience. I'm a huge fan of bizarre magic and spook shows. The magic effects in this are few and only 1 (spirit slates) actually correspond to the Ghost Show concept. Unfortunately, all of the magic illusions are handled very poorly and illicit np wonder or weirdness. The script is very poorly written and maybe a solid charismatic troop could pull off these campy puns and plot elements, however these actors never did reach that level of connection with each other or the audience. It's a bad sign when the audience volunteer looks bored rather than excited or nervous. Save your funds for a better experience. It fails as a campy horror show, it fails as an homage to gran guignol, and it fails as a magic show.

The laughs come fast, as well as the groans. This vaudeville style show is truly a gem.

...this was an amusing throwback that captured the simple feel of the shows of yesteryear.  The humor walked the line between high and low, but worked mostly because of the knowing wink given to us by our wonderful master of ceremonies.  Fans of horror hosts like Elvira or movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) will find this to be of a similar ilk.

If you love the cheesy fun side of horror, Halloween in June, spooky theater and illusionists, you'll love this show — and you have three more Saturdays plus a pay-what-you-can Monday (June 18) to catch Doctor Zomba's Ghost Show of Terror. Consider yourself warned, consider the show recommended, and consider it a date.

Look--there ain't nothin' that's big different or big unique going on here. It's a replicant of those old indy tv monster shows. A little magic. A little vaud-e-ville. A bad story with a villain. So what? When it's done well, a good ole reunion of the past is awesome. And so was this. I had fun from the goofy beginning to the un-expected creepy finale that was MUCHO effective with minimal effort. Just like them old shows always were. Or so my dad told me, anyway. If this is late-night (like it was for me), I think you should go. No joke. It was good for after drinking, before drinking or coming off a high. I was one of these when I saw it--and it was WORTH IT!!

A fun throwback experience that will have you laughing and walking out with a big smile on your face. Zany, clever, filled to the brim with creativity! With so much charm it's oozing out of the show's mutilator machine if you want a good time see this show!

I saw the opening preview on June 2nd. Before, I went I was nervous, a hypnotic spell, a real dead body, Sirena's sensual dance of the damned (banned in 14 countries), not to mention contact with the dead! I was full of fear, but as the play started, i found myself with a big grin on my face. It was funny, be prepared to laugh nonstop. And great effects that pay tribute to vintage horror movies. Great actors and writing. It was FUN! Highly recommended! See it while you can!

With it's inclusion of comedy, magic, ventriloquism, a dance number, and a seance, Dr. Zomba's Ghost Show of Terror! really excels in its effects, including a standout blackout sequence. Written by David Lucarelli and directed by Kevin Wetmore, Dr. Zomba's Ghost Show of Terror! is a campy good time, custom-made for the horror kids that delight in toying with the otherworldly and metaphysical.

...the play's appeal extends beyond nostalgia, offering a humorous, immersive theatrical experience that feels completely contemporary, thanks to witty writing, clever staging, and adept performances. See it - but only if your heart can stand the onslaught of mayhem, magic, and monsters from beyond the grave!