Review: Experience the Savory and Spooky at HOTEL NORDO

Who doesn't love a good ghost story? Myself, I've always been drawn to shows like "The Twilight Zone" or "American Horror Story". Now how about a ghost story coupled with some fantastic music and a sumptuous meal? Well prepare yourself for a fabulous evening out perfect for these autumn months with Halloween looming. It's "Hotel Nordo" over at Café Nordo and once again they've cooked up a winner with a delicious meal and a killer show (literally).

It's 1927 and welcome to Hotel Nordo. Your room isn't quite ready but have a seat in their restaurant and allow the proprietors, Lon the concierge (Richard Sloniker) and Sophie the bellhop (Opal Peachey), to guide you on your journey before you move on ... to your room. Over the years you'll see them help out so many folks. The cheating husband and his mistress (Evan Mosher and Corinne Magin) who get their just desserts from his fed up wife (Heather Refvem) in the 1950's. The absentee father (Ray Tagavilla) in the 1980's. The guilt ridden party girl (Alyssa Keane) in 2001. Not to mention what brought Lon and Sophie there to begin with and what it has to do with the mysterious letter writer (Ronnie Hill) who wanders through the hotel offering his services ... for a price.

Writer Terry Podgorski and director Erin Brindley have come up with a delightfully creepy story filled with mystery, intrigue, jealousy and above all heart liberally doused with that otherworldly vibe. Nothing to worry about for the faint of heart as nothing gets too scary. It's just a delectably disturbing good time with and equally delectable dinner. Oh and that music. Once again music director Annastasia Workman has crafted the perfect tone for the evening as we travel through the years and come up with not only haunting renditions of popular songs but also a couple of original compositions that may well steal your soul. Workman keeps coming up with these gems for the Nordo shows and I for one am hopeful that after she has enough of them we'll get a CD of the "Songs of Nordo". They're too good not to share.

The entire cast is, as always, superb. Sloniker and Peachey make for wonderful otherworldly guides each hiding just that little bit of sinister beneath their desire to serve. And Hill matches their supernatural feel beautifully with just a touch of malevolence. Tagavilla delivers a heartbreaking scene as the father hoping to make amends but then turns around with some absolute hilarity in a later scene. Peachey, Refvem and Keane beautifully deliver those haunting covers I mentioned but it was those original works sung by Mosher and Magin that truly nailed the tone of the evening mixing soaring voices with just the right amount of longing and desperation to make it a bit eerie.

Café Nordo shows are consistently fun but, personally, this one has topped my list with its beautifully macabre story and haunting melodies. And so with my three letter rating system I give "Hotel Nordo" a spine-chilling YAY+. It's a perfect date night for those bleak October/November evenings. And don't worry, no one will jump out and frighten you while you have your mouth full. That would just be a waste of good food/booze.

"Hotel Nordo" performs at Café Nordo through November 20th. For tickets or information visit them online at www.cafenordo.com.

To post a comment, you must register and login.