Delusion: The Blue Blade (Director's Cut)

-Los Angeles, CA-

When was the last time you really played? I'm not talking about playing board games or spending an afternoon playing endless rounds of Super Smash Bros. I mean the "wandering through the woods imagining you are an explorer in search of lost treasure" kind of playing. As kids we loved creating our own adventures, giving ourselves prominent roles in the action. All it took was a little imagination.

Delusion: The Blue Blade gives audience members the chance to step back in time to when we knew how to play, immersing them in a thrilling, non-stop adventure in which they don't just watch as the action unfolds around them but play a crucial role in moving the story forward. You are a character in the story and you must play your part.

The story of the Blue Blade revolves around the titular blade which has the ability to cut through time itself, enabling its users to travel between the past, future, and present. An ambitious woman named Evelyn Lowell steals the blade for herself, betraying the secret Safeguard Society with which she swore to protect important ancient artifacts. Now she has gone missing, and many agents have died or gone missing in pursuit of Evelyn and the blade. As new initiates, you and a small group of other audience members must embark on a quest to recover the blade before it is too late and time itself unravels.

The adventure that follows felt like a wonderful fever dream combination of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Blade Runner with time travel thrown into the mix as well. Over the course of the 90 minute runtime I explored ancient Mayan ruins, escaped a Nazi bunker, and hid under a bed as a spectral monster known as a Keeper relentlessly searched for our intrepid crew. Sets and costumes were all remarkably convincing. After just a few minutes of entering the show, you will completely forget that you're in a surprisingly small building in a residential neighborhood outside of Hollywood. The excellent acting never once breaks that illusion either.

Along the way, I got to solve puzzles and interact with the world in meaningful ways. One moment I was figuring out how to restart a dead car's radio to find a secret message, the next I was desperately searching for a way to divert sleeping gas out of our Nazi prison cell before we passed out. Every new recruit was given several opportunities to step up and play their part in the adventure.

For this show, I had the opportunity to bring along a friend who had never experienced immersive theater before. Although it was overwhelming at first (When can I talk? What do I do? How involved should I be?... These are all normal questions for people first stepping into the immersive realm) he soon found himself feeling the thrill of solving a puzzle that the others in the group had struggled with unsuccessfully. It was empowering and the rest of the experience was a complete blast. Seeing the wonder on his face when a giant stone statue came to life and sent a Nazi flying several yards into the air was a joy.

Delusion: The Blue Blade was the perfect way to introduce a friend to immersive theater. The tone was fun and creepy without being too scary. The interactions were intimate and empowering. The story was incredible, with a heartfelt message about living in the present. Everything felt perfectly balanced to appeal to experienced and novice immersive goers alike. If the Blue Blade ever returns, I would recommend this show to anyone.

I felt like a kid again playing with the Delusion cast, and I can't remember the last time I had that much fun. I cannot wait to see what Delusion does next.

"All in good time."