‘Paranormal Inside’ At East West Players

(L-R) Davide Costa as Ethan, Tamika Simpkins as Delia, and David Huynh as Max in Prince Gomolvilas’s PARANORMAL INSIDE, directed by Jeff Liu.

Andrew Ge

LOS ANGELES – There is nothing scarier than an existential crisis, but add an element of spirituality and ghosts, and it’s even more haunting. It begs the question of whether spirit possession controls those whose souls are weak, or whether these souls are so shattered that they call out to spirits for help.

In Prince Gomolvilas’ chilling play, Paranormal Inside, which premiered at East West Players in Los Angeles Sunday night, Max (David Huynh) is a Thai American ex-ghosthunter who lost his mother and brother a few years ago, but has found happiness, expecting his first child with his wife, Bincy (Christine Corpuz). Things go awry when he finds himself possessed by an evil spirit, leading him to his estranged friend and former client, Delia (Tamika Simpkins), who has her own psychic abilities but wants to leave the past behind. Together, they join forces to trace back to his past to save the future he’s made for himself.

Paranormal Inside is actually a continuation of Gomolvilas’ 2022 play, The Brothers Paranormal. Jeff Liu, who directed The Brothers Paranormal, returns to the sequel to breathe life back into Max and Delia, the only two characters – and actors Huynh and Simpkins – to return to the story. It’s important to note that one need not have seen the predecessor to understand this universal story. Set five years after the first play, there was no moment of confusion about Max and Delia’s past connection, as there was enough exposition and palpable chemistry between them to recognize an erstwhile friendship.

As Huynh and Simpkins originated the roles, their return to the characters felt natural, as if the three years had only strengthened their bond—and acting chops—with the story.

After losing his parents and brother, Max finds himself like many Asian Americans who feel disconnected from their heritage, as their only connector is now gone. Despite marrying a Thai woman, Max doesn’t want to have anything to do with being Thai, discouraging his son from being given a Thai name. Bincy’s father, Somboon (Alberto Isaac), complains often of how she’s practically married to a white man. He hilariously tells her at one point, “If only you married a nice Thai boy like I told you.” Both Bincy and Max respond that he is Thai.

Huynh finds a good balance between Max’s neurotic humor and his descent into darkness. There were times when his performance felt like too much, but it served as a precursor to the chaos that was about to unfold. During a scene in which Max explains losing everything to this supernatural entity, Huynh’s gripping, desperate cries for help are effective, silencing the audience as if the air had been sucked out of the room.

Simpkins is given more humorous quips that showcase her impeccable comedic timing, even amid the character’s dire circumstances. Yet Delia’s familial storyline, meant to reflect Max’s identity crisis, doesn’t work, since her connection to her background was never really the issue. Though she mentions it briefly, there is no resolution to this disparity in the end. It was actually Delia’s supporting characters – niece Tasha (Aja Hinds) and Tasha’s fiancé, Ethan (Davide Costa) – that made the contrast and comparison more sense.

Hinds and Costa were bright additions to Gomolvilas’ Paranormal canon. As individual characters, they were good, but together, their chemistry is vibrant. Despite their very different upbringings, cultures, and races, the two characters feel genuinely in love, encouraging audiences to root for them. At one point, Ethan refuses to leave Tasha alone, telling her, “because I love you,” prompting one loud audience member to say, “aww.”

Though Costa played the comic-relief role as the tropey white, clumsy but loving and dependable partner to a woman of color, it never felt exaggerated or treated like a joke, giving the character some backbone when he finally pushes back. Hinds is charming as Tasha, reflecting the optimistic youth of 2012, when Oabama was president and a sense of ‘hope’ was present. She tells Delia that change and progress are being made, prompting her aunt to say not to get too comfortable – foreshadowing what’s to come.

Corpuz was lovely in every scene she was in, especially when she tells her father why she must support Max’s frightening journey. It was emotional, but very short.

Costume designer Janel “JJ” Javier nailed the look, as if I could go into my Thai father’s closet to find that exact outfit. When Isaac’s character, Somboon, first appeared on stage, dressed in cargo shorts, a bright T-shirt, a vest with cargo pockets, and a gold chain of the Buddha dangling from his chest, he embodied all of our Thai immigrant fathers. Isaac’s role as a protective father was endearing and felt familiar, as he begrudgingly took care of his son-in-law out of love for his daughter and future grandson.

Though Isaac struggled at times with the Thai accent, he made many attempts to adjust as he continued. These efforts were much appreciated, and those who aren’t native Thai speakers may not even be able to tell the difference.

Gomolvilas’ haunting tale is elevated by Liu’s direction and the creative team. Liu finds a good balance between levity, drama, and fear among the characters, using superb sound, lighting, projection, and visual effects to heighten the stakes and evoke the feelings each character experiences, including the scariest moments. Though Randy Wong-Westbrooke’s set design looks simple, the interchangeability was brilliantly planned, changing the slightest details to affect the room and scene completely.

Overall, Paranormal Inside is a frightening yet witty and entertaining tale of spirits and life that beautifully explores identity, grief, purpose, and found family. Going into the theatre, I expected to be scared by ghost stories and supernatural beings. Instead, I found myself confronting my own inner spirit with its poignant message — which may be what scared me the most.

Prince Gomolvilas’ Paranormal Inside, directed by Jeff Liu, is playing at the David Henry Hwang Theater in Los Angeles, presented by East West Players, now through November 2, 2025. Tickets are available here.