Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.
To hear an audio walkthrough of Killjoy's Kastle, click the blue player above.
This hell house is probably unlike anything you've ever seen.
KillJoy’s Kastle: A Lesbian Feminist Haunted House is a performer-based installation in West Hollywood's Plummer Park.
It's a spin-off of Evangelical Christian groups that put on "hell houses" where actors play out the deadly consequences for committing a sin.
But at Killjoy's Kastle, you'll find punching bags representing tampons, demented women's studies majors and an internet troll.
"Why a feminist hell house? Feminism has been maligned as monstrous, terrifying, disruptive," says co-creator Allyson Mitchell.
Each scene pokes fun at the extremes of feminism, but its goal is not to scare: it's to expose the complexities of the movement.
"We want it to be accessible, to be multi-dimensional," adds co-creator Deirdre Logue.
"I wouldn't say we're making fun of feminism, but I would also say we could afford to laugh at ourselves once in a while," says Mitchell.
The Toronto based-artists created Killjoy's Kastle and have been in Los Angeles setting it up since September. USC's ONE Archives asked the duo to bring their Toronto haunted house to Los Angeles.
KillJoy’s Kastle is located at Plummer Park, 1200 North Vista Street, West Hollywood, CA 90046. It's open from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18; Thursday through Sunday, October 22 to 25; and Wednesday through Friday, October 28-30. The haunted house is not open on Halloween. Admission is free.
Check back for an audio interview with the creators.