Immersive events are having a moment, and the highly enjoyable production of The Lost Inn at The San Francisco Mint (through February 1; all shows sold-out) gives a great indication of why audiences can’t get enough of wraparound theater evenings.
Fun begins upon arrival, when guests “check in” with the night clerk, choose a room key, and proceed to the tavern to enjoy a specialty cocktail like The Trickster’s Heart, The Secret Lullaby mocktail, or more traditional drams. As they sip, audience members can explore the Faerie Queen’s room (she even might be there…) and the stages, where they may stumble across actors frolicking.
‘The Lost Inn’ at The San Francisco Mint. Photo by Jon Bauer 
‘The Lost Inn’ at The San Francisco Mint. Photo by Jon Bauer 
‘The Lost Inn’ at The San Francisco Mint. Photo by Jon Bauer 
‘The Lost Inn’ at The San Francisco Mint. Photo by Jon Bauer 
‘The Lost Inn’ at The San Francisco Mint. Photo by Jon Bauer 
‘The Lost Inn’ at The San Francisco Mint. Photo by Jon Bauer 
‘The Lost Inn’ at The San Francisco Mint. Photo by Jon Bauer
The night carnival opens about 15 minutes before official start time. One can have their fortune told, guess the number of pickled pixie eggs, and play games of chance. This is no mere diversion—the night carnival is operated by actors themselves, and they introduces motifs to be explored throughout the evening.
After the amuse bouche of the carnival, the audience is shepherded back to the tavern where Detective Marlow receives a call from his employer Elyria, the Faerie Queen. Though it may seem to be an impossible task, Marlow must find what was stolen from the queen with little more to go on than “you’ll know it when you find it.” Thus, he and the audience embark on an utterly delightful two hour-ish journey.
Moving between rooms, stories, and memories, the show is a delicious melange of theater, dance, music, performance art, creative art, mystery, and social commentary, all deftly interwoven. A site-specific piece created for the San Francisco Mint, the play makes use of every inch of its space. Performers dance on window ledges, popcorn drops from a balcony, fireplace mantles serve as stages, the literal vaults as metaphoric memory storage.
The 13th Floor company of actors exude their character’s innermost essence through expressive performances employing facial expressions, dance, grand and subtle movements, and of course, the lines: the Faerie Queen’s (Nicole Nastari) mysterious desires, Marlow’s (Nick Dickson) quiet resignation to his duty, the Night Clerk’s (Andy Lemons) gentle guidance, Axel’s (Colin Epstein) bumbling desire to impress his love Belora’s (Livianna Mailsen) steely determination to protect her crew, Quill’s (Slater Penney) quest to make whole that which is broken (literally and figuratively), Nonix’s (Indigo Jackson) desire to knit together a greater understanding from the fragments of memory, and Bibi’s (Sydney Bradshaw Lozier) youthful exuberance. The actors’ work is further enhanced by Victoria Austin‘s makeup design, which highlights the eyes of each actor, adding nuance to their characterization.
Costume design, here provided by Krystal Harfert, unites the fae, the circus, the noir with repeating colors, textile patterns, and whimsical accents. Director Jenny McAllister asked for a popcorn hat for Bibi, and Harfert went further to deliver a bow-shaped popcorn hat befitting the beloved Bibi. Nonix’s “broken” wings are a work of art with twigs, feathers, flowers, and ephemera as a physical representation of Nonix’s longing to unite the different pieces of the story.
Poppy (Walker Staples) and Thora (Kit Gripp) offer the musical tendons connecting the scenes. They both wrote the music for the show, and its poignant lyrics, soulful banjo, and mandolin punctuate moods.
Equally impressive is Treigh Buchet‘s production and set design and attention to detail on a shoestring budget. Every object in the venue was lovingly curated and is directly connected to the storyline. The antique furniture enhances the ambiance. Peer closely at the desk in the office and you’ll see vintage books and a quill pen. Each vault is adorned to represent the fractured memories of the characters.
Ephemera scattered about the set designed by Michelle Josette Crashette also serves to hook attendees: the night carnival posters, a third-realm tavern invoice on Belora’s desk, a play specific set of Tarot cards. Compare the backs of the programs with your group or seat partners’ to find different tidbits about why Quill can’t sleep, or why Bibi’s enchanted teddy bear is hibernating.
Spoiler: everything here is connected, from the key selection upon arrival, Poppy and Thora’s origin story, the drink names, the tarot cards, the carnival games, to the costumes—all hailing from the artistic vision of writer and director Jenny McAllister. The Lost Inn was first performed in February of 2024 and is being reprised this year (see it again for changes!) Harfert and Buchet both note that McAllister gives collaborators “room, space” and “creative freedom” within which to work. The result is stunning.
The Lost Inn is a beautiful tableau of the human condition. Loss, search, misunderstandings, fear, protection, love, creation are tied up in a sumptuous package. Its remaining three showings are sold out, but hey, don your best faerie frocks and film noir garb and see if you can tempt the fates into conjuring a ticket for you.
THE LOST INN runs through February 1. All remaining shows are sold-out. San Francisco Mint. More info here.
