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Supernatural Chicago
Category: Arts & Entertainment Performing Arts Performing Arts [Edit]
632 N Dearborn St(between Erie St & Ontario St)
Chicago, IL 60610
Neighborhood: Near North Side
(800) 979-3370
- Nearest Transit:
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Grand-Red (Red Line)
Chicago-Red (Red Line)
Merchandise Mart (Brown Line, Purple Line)
- Hours:
Fri 7:30 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
Act One Studios
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19 reviews for Supernatural Chicago
19 reviews in English
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Review from Ryan C.
10/13/2011
I'm not exactly into the paranormal stories of the supernatural, but I found this to be thoroughly entertaining. The show is a blend of stories and stand up. If you are going expecting to see the dead rise or ghosts appearing, you will be disappointed that you won't see them...partially because they don't exist.
The shows are intended for the entire family and the host does a great job of not making it too childish or too grown up. Neil talks about some the history of the dead in Chicago, how some people mysteriously die and how their spirits carry. I think it's worth going to. -
Review from Angela B.
Alameda, CA
10/26/2011
Come to the show with an open mind to be entertained. It's definitely not spooky but it is cheesy funny. The price is very reasonable considering you get 90 mins entertainment and 2 drinks...includes premium!
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Review from Chad C.
Jackson, MI
5/9/2011
If you enjoy a good story, and clean, fun entertainment, I'd highly recommend this show. My friends and I enjoyed ourselves and had a good time listening to Neil spin his stories. The pace of the show is not too fast and not too slow. When it was over it didn't feel like we'd been sitting and listening for over 90 minutes, but we had.
If you don't like listening to people tell stories, then you probably won't like the show. It's more about the lore of Chicago than it is about blowing your mind with magic tricks. -
Review from Tina J.
Chicago, IL
7/26/2010
Listen.... I'm a dark person. I like scary movies, I learned to drive in a cemetery, and I dress up like a zombie for fun. Going in, I desperately WANTED to like this show and to learn more about Chicago's dark side.
That being said, I am APPALLED that there are so many good reviews for this show (Neil Tobin, Necromancer must have people that owe him favors). I created a Yelp account for the sole purpose of warning people against this show.
PLEASE do not see this show.
It is not fun.
It is not scary.
It is not entertaining.
This is a collection of G-rated ghost stories and half-hearted parlor tricks, told by a man forcing a "spooky" voice.
In fact, the best part of this show was my snarky 56-year-old father, sitting beside me with a drink in his hand, mocking this man and his comic attempts at spooking the crowd with his morbidly-stupid psychic attempts (read: GUESSING).
I would not recommend this show to anyone who likes the macabre, anyone who likes entertainment, or anyone who appreciates the value of money.Comment from Neil T. of Supernatural Chicago 11/2/2010
Tina, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the show. Not everybody… More » -
Review from Meredith H.
Chicago, IL
1/18/2010
Yelp, you dropped the ball on this one. So I get a call from a friend last Friday. "We're going to go see Supernatural, Chicago, this funny/magic/spooky show." Little did I know that it would be D.) None of the Above.
I wasn't sure if I was down to drop $25 on a "comedy/magic/spooky" show, so I did some research. After reading the rave reviews here and on http://TripAdvisor.com I decided, what the hell, all these people can't be wrong. Bad choice, Meredith.
I've only lived in Chicago a couple of years, and by no means would I call myself a ghost hunter. I have, however, read a few stories, heard a few tales from friends, etc. This little knowledge I had of Chicago haunts and spooks made me feel like a friggin' expert while sitting in that audience. Every "spooky" tale he told was one I had already heard or read, with little more atmosphere or information than you could find on a Wikipedia page.
He did a few "psychic" tricks over the course of the show, all of which he would preface with something akin to "Now don't be surprised if this doesn't work..." There was one "trick" where he basically told the audience he was merely reading their faces. And he still failed to get the trick right. I could have pulled names out of a hat and had better luck than "Neil Tobin, Necromancer".
There were 8 people in my group, ranging in age from 23-mid-50s. Not a one of us was impressed after the show. I'm really not sure who this show appeals to unless it's the incredibly stupid, incredibly gullible, or people won over by Neil Tobin's comically strange "spooky" voice.
Now, young people, I'm talking about you, the 21-26 year old crowd. Here's the situation, your parents are coming in. You're not quite sure what to do with them while they're here, so you do some googling. Don't insult their intelligence by falling for the reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp and take them to this show. Just don't. Take them over to Second City, Improv Olympic, pretty much anywhere else.
Now, I'm not saying that this show was a complete waste of money. Had I lit my $25 on fire and watched it burn, I probably would have been similarly entertained, but I wouldn't have gotten two free drinks out of it like I did at Supernatural Chicago. -
Review from Shannon D.
Chicago, IL
7/7/2008
I definitely didn't sleep for a few nights after seeing this show!
Neil Tobin is such a talented man with both a soothing and haunting presence. This intimate show is the best deal in the city (I should know I live here and I've been to them all!)
His combination of ghost stories and magic keeps you on your toes and makes for an uncomfortably good time!
I highly recommend this show to everyone...Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Christy M.
Chicago, IL
10/23/2010
The only real magic trick of the night was when he made our $25 dissapear when we purchased our tickets.
If ZERO STARS was an option, this would get zero. Or even -10.
YAWN FEST. SNOOZE FEST. TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY.
If this guy wasn't the biggest jerk wad on the planet (he suffers from short man syndrome and is ANGRY) my friends and I would have stood up and left about 20 minutes in. I was afraid to cough, sneeze, or scratch my nose for fear he'd scream at me. In fact he was such an irrationally angry man that we were afraid to look at each other, smile at each other, whisper to one another, get up to go to the bathroom or even get up to purchase a drink. It's a 90 minute snooze fest in a club in River North with NO intermission and you can't even get up out of your seat for a drink or to use the bathroom. If he wasn't a one man show- if he worked for a company or a theater, I'd make calls to get him fired.
The show started off on a terrible note. There was a girl in the front row of our show who was either terribly drunk or high as a kite on God only knows what. She was obnoxious and a total fool. When this Neil fellow walked out with a lit candle in his hands to kick things off, this girl blew out his candle and giggled. Rather than politely, PROFESSIONALLY asking her to refrain from interrupting his show, he took a full 3 minutes to ream her out in front of everyone. It was SO uncomfortable that at first my friends and I thought the whole thing was staged 'cause certainly no one would react so harshly to such a silly act.
YES she was out of line.
YES she was drunk or high or whatever.
YES she probably should have gone home.
HOWEVER, she was a paying customer, and he did go way too far in embarassing her. If someone spoke to ME like that I'd have stood up (and loomed probably a foot over this short guy) and screamed right back at him. Not only was it totally uncalled for on his part, and in my opinion verbally abusive, but it also RUINED the mood for the show.
This was the reason we were all petrified to relax and enjoy. This is why we were scared about getting up for a drink or to go to the bathroom or to just whisper or giggle. This is not a classroom nor brain surgery nor anything else uber serious. It's supposed to be a fun Friday night activity with audience participation. But the short man ruined the entire night and the mood. He took himself WAY too seriously.
Now the show is advertised as a night of spooky stories along with some magic and mind reading. I guess his interpretation of spooky stories and magic is totally different from mine.
The man was the WORST storyteller I have ever run across. Almost all the stories are ones any idiot has heard before. The man wasted our time with the story of the Cubs curse and the billy gooat tavern. Then he told the famous Resurrection Mary story. But he neglected to tell the story of why the Excalibur (the building we were in) was haunted! And of the stories he did tell, he didn't tell them well. He didn't even dim the lights- in fact he made them brighter. There was zero ambiance. He was a really really terrible storyteller. It sucked. Oh, and if it was a story you'd heard before and nodded or whispered something to a friend he'd zero in on you and tell you to shut up. Real class act, this guy.
Magic- his magic tricks were lame. We were really bored. I usually love magic and really get into it. But I think the main issue was his attitude. If you made a gesture or looked at a friend during his show he'd single you out and repremand you.
Mind reading- this was the only thing in the whole show that was worthwhile. It took 5 minutes, and it was the very last thing he did. He should have shortened the show from 90 minutes to 5 minutes, just done this trick, and he'd have gotten 5 stars all around.
He pulled one of my friends from the audience and had her say the first girls name that came to mind, and then the first number that came to her mind. Then he had an audience member open an envelope (that he'd given the audience member before he asked my friend any questions) and the note in the envelope had the same name that my friend has said. As far as the number, my friend said 4 and the number on the note was 40. So that was cool. But it was the only good part of the whole 90 minute show.
Aside from that mind reading trick, and the CRAZY girl in the front row (who was so bored she was texting during the show and getting yelled at), the entire thing was awful. Thank God for that crazy girl and her insanity or I certainly would have fallen asleep.
IT SUCKED. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE MUCH MORE INTERESTING, WELL EXECUTED GHOST HAUNT TOURS IN THIS CITY.Comment from Neil T. of Supernatural Chicago 11/2/2010
Christy, I'm sincerely sorry you didn't enjoy yourself at… More » -
Review from jillian t.
Glenwood Springs, CO
11/21/2009
This is a really fun, unique date night activity! Neil Tobin was a very talented performer and had great interaction with the audience the whole evening. And here is a tip for everyone, if you become a member on Gold Star Tickets, you can get the tickets for a great deal (I'm a graduate student so I have to get creative with funding my fun!)
The combination of story telling and magic tricks keeps your attention the entire time! I highly recommend the show if you are looking for something different to do on a Friday night!Listed in: Travelers' Delight
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Review from Walt A.
San Francisco, CA
6/17/2008
Amazing Entertainment Value, Chills and Thrills!
Between business meetings in Chicago I was able to catch the Neil Tobin (Necromancer) "Supernatural Chicago" show at the Excalibur Nightclub downtown.
He's been running the show for about five-years now, and from the polish and audience rapport you can tell he's got it down to a science.
I'm often disappointed when I attend an out-of-town show, and so did not get my hopes too high, although Neil's comments here on Yelp! have been on the money. Well, it was a fantastic night of theatre and magic!
You can tell Neil has a profound fascination with the Supernatural and is proud of all the weird goings-on in his hometown Chicago. His presentations are original, smooth, and most of all captivating.... and all that adds up to solid entertainment.
The audience of about two-thirds tourists and one-third locals just ate it up... and were anxious to participate during the interactive segments. Mr. Tobin has an almost intuitive knack for selecting just the right spectator to assist with just the right piece, and is also skilled at avoiding those who've enjoyed a few too many drinks.
His dress and demeanor are clean and elegant, and he makes the most of his historic nightclub venue. Both the Magic and the Mentalism are top-rate, being very engaging, and even without magical bells-and-whistles, the spooky stores could stand on their own..... a rare accomplishment.
It takes stamina and skill to present a show over a five-year period, and keep it fresh and growing, and like a good red wine Supernatural Chicago has aged and mellowed beautifully into a rewarding evening of unusual theatre. My brother also had a wonderful time, and was floored by the effects, the close of the evening is just mind-boggling.
Now I can't wait to pick up a copy of Tobin's CD "Peter And The Werewolf" his unique take on the Prokofiev classic.
At a mere $25 per-person (less than parking in downtown Chicago) it's a huge bargain..... and that includes two-drinks and admission to the dance club after the show..... I'd charge a lot more for these high caliber thrills and chills.
If you're in Chicago, and you love good shows, be sure to catch this one! Thanks Neil for a great evening!
Walt... -
Review from Danelle B.
Orland Park, IL
10/4/2009
This was the most ridiculous show I've ever seen. I saw it last night and was SO predictible! I wouldn't recommend this show to anyone. Props were horrible!! And explain why the room that the show is held in smells like cat urine??!! The best part of the show was when it was over and we went upstairs and caught the end of the Excalibur strippers. They were much more entertaining than this joker. WASTE OF MONEY!!
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Review from Chris O.
Chicago, IL
6/2/2009
This show is great...if your 8 years old. It's more like watching an amateur magic act. I'm as open minded as they come, been to plenty of different type of shows. I wasn't impressed by this one. If your 8 years old or are easily amused this show is for you.
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Review from Danyell J.
Berwyn, IL
10/1/2008
I went to Supernatural Chicago with my best friend (tried and true chicken), and though we are lifelong Chicago residents, we never made it out to the show. So, one Friday, I put my foot down, and made the decision that I would absolutely go and see something that was not playing on a theater screen in Chicago. And we're glad we did.
To start, let me state the important to most people fact- for the price of
admission ($25), you get 2 drinks (Yay for alcohol)! Also, you get admission into the club afterwards. So, an entertaining evening, 2 drinks at a club (which can easily run you about $14, and admission? You're really only paying $10-12 bucks for the show.
But it's worth the full $25... the show was informative, and entertaining. I'm an amateur Chicago historian who loves folklore, not to mention a general jerk, so I am always waiting on someone to trip up and feed me some B.S. But, Neil was right on the money, and even managed to bring some stories that I hadnt even heard... and thats a feat! I spoke with him afterwards (very amiable guy, btw), and not only was he knowledgeable, but friends w/one of my favorite researchers... double plus good for me!
And what of my friend the chicken? I turned to her at the end of the
performance, and asked her what she thought... she looked and said, "well, it could've been done like this..." when I pointed out the flaws in her logic, she simply said... "I refuse to think about it anymore..." I just smiled.
Awesome show. Definitely worth the money. -
Review from Kara S.
Chicago, IL
5/4/2010
This was a fun interactive show. I learned a lot about Chicago's spooky side. I loved the story telling if you will. The Effects that went along with it were an excellent compliment and a great combination. I liked that it was in a nice intimate setting. He made a real effort to involve every member of the audience. I had a the pleasure of speaking with him after the show which is really nice since it is usually difficult at best to do that in any other show because you are getting rushed out. We got to hang out with him after the show and ask about some of the events of the show.
Comment from Neil T. of Supernatural Chicago 11/8/2010
Kara, thanks for pointing out one of my favorite parts of… More » -
Review from Karen T.
Denver, CO
11/13/2008
This is a REALLY great show. We went for my Dad's birthday and it was a lot of fun. Have the couple drinks, be open, be a little silly, and be wow'd! Even though October is gone.. Keep the spirits alive! You'll be happy you did! ~Jacquelyn H
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Review from Pam C.
Skokie, IL
9/23/2008
Intimate, different, fun, funny, SPOOKY, and a class act! Not for the narrow minded! My friends and I loved this show! I will return with more friends!
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Review from Kris G.
Chicago, IL
9/6/2009
I finally was able to go check out Neil Tobin at Supernatural Chicago. Unfortunately, because I have a nerdy fascination with all things paranormal, I knew of every story he had to tell, so it was kind of disappointing to not hear or something new. BUT Neil did a fantastic job in "performing" the stories! He kept the show going, and had a comedic edge to him, which was nice to watch :)
Even though it wasn't quite what I had hoped for, I would still recommend checking out one of his shows, just as a fun and different thing to do on a Friday night. Seems like it would also be a great place to bring any out of town guests who probably haven't heard of any of the famous supernatural stories of Chicago... -
Review from Lisa A.
Chicago, IL
7/21/2009
Whether you want fabulous theater, a taste of the macabre, mentalism superb, run, do not walk to Neil Tobin's Supernatural Chicago. The evening is loaded with chills, Neil's spin on the otherwordly, and rock-solid entertainment. Be you a tourist, a local....GO,GO,GO see this show. You will not be disappointed.
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Review from MaryJo C.
Arlington Heights, IL
10/19/2009
The location is spooky, the atmosphere is one of anticipation. Great story-telling. Interesting tidbits into Chicago lore and legend. The show was interactive and we had a lot of fun!
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Review from natalie d.
Chicago, IL
6/3/2008 1 photo
This show is one of the best things to do in Chicago! Every Friday evening at 7:30 Neil Tobin hosts this show at Excalibur Nightclub. The audience holds about 50 people which creates for a fun and intimate setting. Excalibur nightclub is well documented to be haunted and is a perfect environment to experience Neil's scary stories and psychic gifts. Tickets are $25 dollars and are an extremely great deal considering how great the show is and the two free drinks you receive. Neil is very entertaining and funny. He involves the audience into the show which is always fun. I was part of the ending to the show and what happened to me was unexplainable and bone chilling. I will give nothing away but please go see this show! My boyfriend is a total skeptic and we both left in shock and were amazed by Neil's gifts! If you are from Chicago or are just visiting you must go see this show, you will not be disappointed!
