A Hollywood Horror Story

Ingrid is a consummate performer. I would go to a show if she recited the phone book. We have been mesmerized by her grandmother’s stories and this new incarnation is more of the same: engaging, well researched, superbly written and staged, and bringing an icon to life before our very eyes was a treat for all who were lucky to get a ticket.

Brava Ingrid! I hope you continue to return to the Edmonton Fringe Festival to enrapture us every year! 👏👏👏

This was my first Fringe show this year and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head! Utterly compelling, masterfully performed, genuinely gripping entertainment. ADORED it and I won’t stop talking about it!

For someone very familiar with Ingrid Garner's other work, "A Hollywood Horror Story" is a spectacular rejection of singularity, and establishes Garner not only as the wonderful performer Fringe audiences already know she is, but as an incredibly versatile performer too.

I was lucky to catch "Eleanor's Story: Life After War", Garner's more well known Fringe production about the life of her grandmother in the Second World War, at Fringe last year, and enjoyed it greatly. "A Hollywood Horror Story" is a very different conceit. Still a historical biography in a way, in this show, Garner details the life of "Vampira", famed horror presenter and actress, from humble beginnings, to international applause, to humble livings again.

Personally, I was already roughly aware of Vampira, as a horror fan myself. However, even those who recognize the name are unlikely to know about the icon to the depth that Garner does. Detailing her career, relationships, public persona, Garner (playwright, in addition to performer) treats Vampira's life and legacy with unholy care, resulting in a clear and full portrait of the life of a magnificent woman.

Already doing herself many favours with a sharp and well-written script, Garner brings it to life with sultry charisma, channeling Vampira as she takes on her persona to perform the show. During the show, she also takes on the voices of Elvis, James Dean, and other Hollywood legends whom Vampira encounters in her journey. She switches between voices seamlessly, and her physical storytelling changes effortlessly too. The show is well researched, but what truly brings it to life is how well performed it is. Squint, you'll believe Vampira is truly there in front of you, back from the dead to terrorize the living.

"A Hollywood Horror Story" is a new, and incredibly successful show from Fringe veteran Ingrid Garner. If you haven't seen it yet, I would run to the Spotlight Cabaret. If you have seen it, I would run back to see it again.

Andrea Noga, Alberta Youth Theatre Collective.

WOW! A haunting, exhilarating and historically accurate telling of a true icon. Vampira was a legend, an original one of a kind. Her influence, style and essence has influenced generations - in all art forms. This was a deserved homage to a true one-of-a-kind icon. This masterful story telling performance was clever, entertaining and poignant. Any "influencer" worth their salt should know who this incredible human was and understand the force of their impact on present day pop culture. Entertain and educate yourself. An incredible story and performance - go see this show!

Ingrid Garner delivers a riveting, razor-sharp revival of Vampira, restoring Maila Nurmi to her rightful place as one of Hollywood's most daring and unjustly forgotten innovators. A must-see for the Fringe audience and a striking homage to a trailblazing icon who refused to conform.

I went into Vampira: A Hollywood Horror Story knowing almost nothing about Maila Nurmi and came out fascinated by the woman behind television’s original horror host. Ingrid Garner commands the stage throughout this one-woman show, keeping the story moving with energy, humour and a captivating performance that makes the history genuinely entertaining. The dressing-room-style set and clever use of black-and-white video, photographs and vintage footage beautifully capture the atmosphere of 1950s Hollywood while revealing the person underneath the Vampira persona. Educational without ever feeling like a history lesson, this is exactly the kind of Fringe show I love: you walk in knowing very little and leave wondering how you never knew this remarkable story before.

The Hidden Tale of a Campy – err – Vampy Horror Icon

Do you know who was the first true TV horror host? In A Hollywood Horror Story, you find out it’s the seductively stylish actress Maila Nurmi, better known on screen as Vampira! Playwright and star of the one-woman show Ingrid Garner takes audiences through the old Hollywood actress’ career story; from being noticed in a costume competition to landing the Vampira role to befriending her on-screen peers.

The performance is delivered like your typical Vampira episode, but feels more like a behind-the-scenes look with the dressing room-style set and constant costume adjustments. Speaking of the costumes, the Vampira ensemble itself is so elegant and looks exquisite on Garner; further helping her embody the character. She already nails down the transatlantic-esque accent and classic, glamorous hand gestures. You can’t help but be in awe of her the whole 60 minutes! Moreso on the production side, I loved the mixed media touch to the show, and how it incorporated both filmed portions of Garner as Nurmi and real-life clips and images, all in black & white, to further immerse audiences in the 50s TV atmosphere.

Overall, A Hollywood Horror Story is not a show you want to miss at this year’s Fringe. It is simply dazzling in every regard: the vintage video clips, the beautiful dressing room props and costumes, and Garner’s wickedly good performance. If you love all things horror, camp, and vintage, step right up!

Ingrid Garner is captivating.

I went into this show not knowing anything about Vampira or the old Hollywood elite. However, I don't think that took away from the show, if anything it probably enhanced it. Everything presented on the stage was brand new to me.

In brief, it's the sharing of the history of Vampira, TV's first horror-show host. In an early Hollywood system that is well-known for using and then discarding women, Garner tells the story of Vampira's resilience and staying power and why she's "the matriarch of misfits."

This show is borne out of incredible passion for the topic – and research to back it up. The result is a splendidly-engaging deep dive into this incredible woman's life.

Ingrid is well-known for her previous work Eleanor's Story which has received rave reviews across dozens of Fringes. This story, while wildly different in content and tone, brings that exact same historical specificity and performance.

When she slips into her character, she completely disappears. It was actually quite jarring at the end when she slipped out and thanked the audience as herself. Who was this person on the stage? Where did she come from?

Tickets are still available for this one. I'd recommend making them unavailable, by going.

The amount of love this artist has for the subject matter is on full display. Well researched, perfectly written and the performance was one of the best I have seen in a decade of Fringing. Kept her cool through a minor technical issue and stayed in character. If I could give it six stars I would.

This show was incredible. With a mix of multimedia and acting, it was brilliantly seamless. The actress is wonderful. She really brings Vampira to life.