Malefycia: disturbing immersion in a house of horrors and unease

Montreal’s only haunted house exclusively for adults is back for a third edition.

Until October 31, the Malefycia Horror Festival offers a mix of theater and horror in the context of a disturbing clinic, with a two-story tour lasting about an hour and starting at $25.

“It’s really not like other haunted houses,” explained Dominique Arganese, the event’s co-founder. I describe it as several horror sets where people are invited to really enter the world of our characters.”

“The different plays play on all sorts of fears, discomforts and disgusts,” added Ms. Arganese. The actors have a guideline […], but they observe the audience’s reaction and react accordingly.”

This immersive concept was inspired in particular by the American play “Sleep No More”, which invites its spectators to take part in a play divided into several scenes through the rooms of an old hotel.

On the other floor of the Angus Street haunted house, thrill-seekers can then take part in an experience designed to give visitors a good scare.

We’re looking for a more adrenaline-filled experience,” explained Ms. Arganese. Even I don’t really want to do it.”

An experience for adults

“We didn’t have anything that hooked us in Montreal,” Ms. Arganese recounted of haunted houses primarily designed for children, speaking of Malefycia’s genesis.

“We like it, they’re great concepts for families, my son likes it a lot and I’m not denigrating the work done on these experiences,” she insisted. But for adults, I don’t think there’s enough.”

“Halloween is a witch’s holiday, I think it’s meant to be a masquerade that’s supposed to scare us […] and bring out our darker side,” Ms. Arganese pointed out. That’s kind of why we wanted to do Malefycia.”