Cursed: An American Tragedy

-Chicago, IL-

I almost did not attend Birch House’s immersive theater epic Cursed: An American Tragedy. I could not convince anyone to join me and was nervous about driving into an unfamiliar part of Chicago by myself. However, to use the words so familiar to patrons of immersive theater: fortune favors the bold! I did attend Cursed on November 17, 2018 and I’m so glad I did.

The drama of Cursed takes place within the old Berger Park North Mansion, a large home that feels out of place in the city of Chicago. That feeling of out of place and out of time did not stop with the exterior of the house itself. Once I stepped through the door into a foggy foyer, I felt as though I had stepped back in time. The lights and sounds and smells of Chicago faded, as did memories of the homework that was due at the end of the weekend.

I was immersed.

I was immersed in the tale of an unhappy family over three generations whose only inheritance seemed to be death, tragedy… and a family curse.

Guests could explore the house as they desired, following the characters and story lines that intrigued them. Most found themselves following one of three main characters existing within the Civil War, World War I and World War II timelines. Yes, three different, but interconnected stories were occurring within the Berger Mansion all at once.

I thought this would be overwhelming or confusing, but as I began to follow Grace and her husband James in the build-up to and aftermath of World War I, a compelling and emotional narrative unraveled. I caught glimpses of other timelines that felt more like lingering memories or ghosts than a distracting intrusion into Grace’s story.

Occasionally the timelines would collide in a surreal interpretation of war or a spine-chilling exorcism scene. History repeats itself, and violence and fear are constants throughout time.

The story told explored the darker side of human nature in a way that felt honest without falling straight into cynicism. Humans are capable of great violence and manipulation, but also of genuine love. Not all poor decisions are made maliciously. Religion can be good, but in manipulative hands it can also be evil and controlling.

Was the family truly cursed? Perhaps. Perhaps cursed with existence in some of the most violent times in American history. Perhaps cursed with a learned fear of the supernatural. Perhaps truly cursed by an evil spirit. Perhaps cursed by all of those things. Curses come in various forms.

Whatever the curse, Cursed lived up to its name and left the audience with a true tragedy. Standing inches away from characters first learning of the death of loved ones was truly haunting and brought tears to my eyes, and the final scene felt just as devastating as any of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies.

When the time came to leave, I stepped back out onto the streets of Chicago feeling as though I had just awakened from a sad dream. I had forgotten about the real world entirely. I had forgotten that I was watching actors perform a play. I truly had been transported and immersed in a way I had never experienced before.

I almost did not attend Cursed: An American Tragedy, but now I feel blessed that I did.