‘The Gravermind Estate’ is Anything but Common (Review)

San Francisco is home to creatives of all kinds, so it was such a joy to get to experience some of that creativity firsthand in the form of Shelli Frew’s The Gravermind Estate.

Check-in for the The Gravermind Estate feels common — there are waivers, house rules (do not touch the performers, don’t go through any closed doors, etc.), and a restroom warning (use it now or wait until after the show). Now, I don’t want to spoil it for you, but that’s where “common” bit ends.

Entry into the secret show space is unique and unexpected. Which is why the open-world elements at the beginning of the show were so much fun. For the first 50 minutes or so, you are encouraged to explore the manor and meet the inhabitants of this spiritual and scientific household. During this time, you meet Doctor Ash Gravermind, referred to for most of the show as “The Doctor” and her medium wife, Isabelle Gravermind. I don’t want to give away too much, but you also meet some of the Doctor’s creations and let’s just say… Dr. Frankenstein could take a few notes from Ash. These creations are kind and warm and very vocal.

While the show talks a lot about science and spirits, the overarching theme is love. How to love, and how to be loved. It raises the question, “How far would you go to connect with the one you love?” and possibly more importantly, “How far should you go?” The theme of love continues with the doctor’s creations as you learn more about them. You begin to see an image of the doctor that depicts her as a loyal, loving wife and a patient and understanding friend.

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With a few mildly intense (yet not scary) moments, this is a great show for any audience and the subject matter of the show makes it perfect for Halloween! It’s fun and charming with a little bit of spook.

The Halloween Night show is already sold out, but there are still tickets available for other nights here. You will be offered tea and chocolate and there may be crawling involved, so please discuss any physical limitation with the staff before the show.

The Gravermind Estate continues in a secret SF location through October 27. Tickets are $65.

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