"The Terror of Abbadia Mare" at Hammond Castle is a Fun, Ghostly Thrill

John Hays Hammond Jr.’s wild and creative mind is on display at the Hammond Castle Museum this week, with an original Halloween theatrical performance that pulls “guests” back in time and into the eccentric inventor’s spooky imagination.
“The Terror of Abbadia Mare” is a limited run show running now through Friday, Oct. 25 starting at 6 p.m. and playing every 15 minutes with small groups ushered through the dark museum castle to meet a cast of unforgettable characters who bring this promenade-style “movable” performance that comes to life in various rooms of Hammond’s castle, his magnificent Magnolia ocean home that he called his “Abbey by the Sea.” It’s spooky. It’s delightful. It’s so well done.
There’s so much that makes The Terror of Abbadia Mare noteworthy. First, the play is taken from John Hays Hammond Jr.'s own ghost stories, ably adapted by Doug Cowell. So, it draws from Hammond’s own fascination with the supernatural, blending the eerie charm of 1920s Weird Tales with the kitsch of 1950s Pulp Fiction.

Limited October theatrical productions has become a tradition at Hammond Castle to kick off Halloween.  Previous productions include adaptations of works by H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe.  The museum has adapted the writings of John Hays Hammond Jr. once before, when the museum’s Curatorial Director, John Leysath, adapted another set of Hammond’s writing for the 2020 sci-fi presentation of "The Termite Monster.”

This one-hour immersive experience begins on the castle’s drawbridge and proceeds through multiple rooms within the museum. I showed up at 6:15 p.m. sharp along with 14 others, many of whom were in costume. I hadn’t realized it, but the premise of the play was that we were back in time to Hammond’s 1920s, invited as guests to a fictional gala at the mansion. We were met by a footman who would be our escort for the evening. A newspaper reporter (Lauren Casey) met us too, eager to offer money for anyone willing to spill details on this mysterious man of the manor, John Hays Hammond Jr., after our time in the castle.
Without giving away spoilers, the play begins with Hammond’s loyal butler, Hillman, played by Michael Greene who directs his guests (us) to see Hammond’s enigmatic wife, Irene, played by Shari Chaplin. From there, we encountered a sailor, played so well by Gloucester’s own Jim Tarantino, best known for his role on CBS’s Survivor, and a stone mason, played by Cape Ann's Alison Landoni—each with a strange connection to the castle and its history. Each encounter tells a different story from the grave. The last figure we met was Hammond himself, played by Anthony Lentz.
The whole experience is Halloween perfection for adults who want to blend spooky fun with local history and a wonderful theatrical performance. Each vignette amounts to one-man (or one-woman!) intimate performances, and with other groups just 15 minutes ahead or behind ours, one could hear quiet roars from another room, which added to the eerie vibe. What a great way to kick off the spooky season.
Tickets are $25, and all proceeds go toward the restoration and preservation at the museum.  Groups are kept to no more than 15 guests per performance to ensure an intimate experience, so register early to get your preferred time. Also, guests are encouraged to dress in roaring 1920s attire to fully immerse themselves in the era. (Although, I can attest, it’s not a requirement!)

 

October 22, 23, 25 from 6 to 10 p.m.