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Archive for the category “See It!”

05 Jan 2020

Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh

WHAT: Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh
WHEN: 2 November 2019 – 3 May 2020
WHERE: Saatchi Gallery (Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4RY)
PRICE: £24.50-28.50 (Adults)

OUR RATING: Do It!

Gold Inlaid Canopic Coffinette of Tutankhamun Dedicated to Imseti (Protector of the Liver) and Isis.
Credit: IMG

“At first I could see nothing, the hot air escaping from the chamber causing the candle flame to flicker, but presently, as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold – everywhere the glint of gold.” – Howard Carter (Archaeologist who discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb)

Gold is timeless – untarnishable and everlasting. It is for this very reason that the ancient Egyptians crafted their most sacred and enduring objects from this rare substance, the surfaces communicating across time to us still in sparkling majesty. For Tutankhamun, the finely crafted statuary that adorned his tomb would function as vessels for immortality up to the present day. Beautifully and touchingly presented at the Saatchi Gallery in what is billed as their last great tour outside Egypt, these mementos of a life lived so removed from our own open up the secret, personal world of the boy King.

Wooden Guardian Statue of the Ka (soul) of the King Wearing the Nemes Headcloth.
Credit: IMG

For those who have seen past iterations of travelling Tutankhamun exhibits, much of what is on display will be familiar: the canopic coffinette, a storage vessel for the embalmed organs of the King, has been emblazoned upon the literature of many of these blockbuster shows. And yet, new objects are carefully and helpfully marked, making the repeat visitor feel as if they are on a treasure hunt, discovering both old and new artifacts.

Whilst most people are attracted to the shining bullion all around them, important everyday items paint a different picture of the Pharaoh. In Tutankhamun’s reed “pen” case, we can imagine a young boy sitting down with his tutors and learning about what it takes to rule a mighty empire, whilst throwing sticks and bows attest to more leisurely (or warlike) pursuits. Undoubtedly, all these objects also carry ritualistic significance, but one could just as easily imagine them being used by the young Pharaoh.

To the seasoned scholar, this exhibition does have its drawbacks. A (paid) photo opportunity no doubt brings in much needed revenue, but somehow cheapens the overall experience. An epic video introduction, like much of the labelling, is high in floral language, weak on the facts. Speaking of facts, we spotted several misspellings and misunderstandings on the labels (a reference to the god “Atem”, which, in this context, should clearly have read “Aten,” the solar disc deity). To the ordinary visitor, these oversights might seem small, but to anyone knowledgeable of the period, they are most disappointing for such a well-designed exhibition.

Gilded Wooden Jackal-Headed Figure of Duamutef (Protector of the Stomach).
Credit: IMG

The exhibition itself is laid out across multiple floors and with intricate vinyls perfectly framing objects in the black-box style rooms. It is true that due to this multi-level approach, you lose your immersion in the world of the tomb each time you progress to a new gallery, but this is not a major limitation.

Final Thoughts: As potentially the last time you will be able to see Tutankhamun’s “wonderful things” outside Egypt, this is a must for Egyptophiles of all ages. Even those with more knowledge of the subject will appreciate seeing familiar artifacts and some new ones. A glittering spectacle that will amaze all who gaze upon it.

P.S. The companion volume to this exhibition, Tutankhamun: The Treasures of the Tomb, by Dr. Zahi Hawass is breathtaking in its detail and completed with sumptuous photographs by Sandro Vannini. Simply stunning!

Posted in Do It!, See It!, Tours and Museums, Visual Arts and tagged , , , , , , , ,
02 Nov 2019

Face Your Fears

WHAT: Face Your Fears
WHEN: 11 October – 3 November, 2019
WHERE: Yorkshire Scare Grounds Scream Park (Hell Lane, Heath, Wakefield, WF1 5SG)
PRICE: £17-21

OUR RATING: Chance It!

Credit: Yorkshire Scare Grounds Scream Park

Our Overall Scare Factor: 7
Overall Atmosphere Rating: 6

Welcome to Yorkshire Scare Grounds Scream Park, a 24-acre estate where visitors travel through the dark woods of Yorkshire to come across five different mazes as they try to make their way to safe harbour. We had no idea that we would be gallivanting in the woods as part of the experience to get from one maze to another, with the concept being one complete journey through contrasting terrors rather than just going to disparate haunts – definitely a refreshing concept after all the mazes we’ve been to this year. Because of the nature of this haunt, we’ve given the attraction as a whole a scare factor and atmosphere rating rather than each individual maze, although some mazes were without doubt better and scarier than others, as we’ll highlight below.

We started our creepy trek through the woods, navigating our way through the dark trails of trees, never sure when or where anything would jump out at us. This was hands down the scariest factor of the haunt. Since there were no seen boundaries to the woods, the opportunities for things to come at us from any which way seemed endless, and we found ourselves checking for things behind us constantly, and when things did come at us, the jump and scare factor were quite high!

Credit: Yorkshire Scare Grounds Scream Park

We came across the first maze, A.I., where we met a variety of cyborgs. Truth be told, this maze was not a great start. We’ll hand it to the actors, they were trying very hard, as was seen in all of the mazes here, but they just didn’t quite pull it off. It really felt like a school group was trying to put on their end of term scary theatre project without much being put into it. There was definitely an attempt at scenic elements and a nice interplay between real and fake cyborgs, but it was ultimately underwhelming and had us worried about the quality of the mazes that lay ahead of us.

Credit: Yorkshire Scare Grounds Scream Park

We next came upon The Sewer – Mutation, which had much more outdoor elements than the previous maze. The mutants were…interesting. Not much set design to go along with this one, but its outdoor nature made it a bit creepier, and even when we thought the maze was over and we were back “safe” in the woods, we found the mutant creatures had still not had their fill of us.

Credit: Yorkshire Scare Grounds Scream Park

Witchcraft – Bloody Mary is definitely where the attraction started heating up. This maze was quite extensive and took us through a very old and dilapidated village, encountering various characters warning us not to say Mary’s name and then later the witches themselves. Some of the small huts we had to navigate through were admittedly way too dark – this made walking a bit difficult, but it also added an obvious terror element as we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. There was also a really terrifying scene with two Mary’s, one which we assumed couldn’t be real until she moved toward us – certainly a great jump scare. We genuinely liked the set elements and characters in this one, and it surely didn’t hurt that we both are actually surprisingly superstitious of saying Bloody Mary three times – which both of us refused to do despite the characters hinting we should. That’s just one step too far for these horror fans!

Credit: Yorkshire Scare Grounds Scream Park

Next on our journey, we checked into Hotel Hell – Undead Vacation. But this wasn’t your typical weekend away, for as soon as we stepped into the faulty lift and were plunged into blackness we knew our stay would be far from welcoming. With numbered hotel room doors and highly themed interiors full of scare actors waiting to terrify you, this was definitely one of the scariest haunts of the night. We’re pretty sure that it’ll be you served for room service!

Credit: Yorkshire Scare Grounds Scream Park

Insane clowns – we love the idea! Clown Asylum mixes these two concepts effortlessly to give you a twisted and winding series of corridors where heavily made-up jesters might just snatch you away to join them. Many of the actors were cleverly placed in this maze and gave us some shocks, especially in the pitch black areas that left you wondering which way to turn.

At the end of this maze we were finally spat out into safer territory – at least after surviving one last chainsaw attack – to a hub of food at the end with a nice little Halloween shop to go along with it. We didn’t really stick around, but the characters roaming about seemed to be having a good time, and it gave us particularly great delight than one seemed to be dressed as Hoggle from Labyrinth.

Final Thoughts: While a bit underdone than we were hoping for, all in all we definitely think the walk through the woods concept of this attraction is one to experience, with a few good mazes along the way to make it more than worthwhile and a wonderful interaction between actors and a ton of animatronics. This park is also really great in that it is open more nights than any other attraction we’ve been to, even several Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and even Sundays, and quite lengthy as well, taking an average of 40-minutes to get through. If you’re in the Yorkshire area this is for sure a fun night out.

P.S.: On your way to Yorkshire, you’ve got to check out Dr. Fright’s Halloween Nights for some more scares.

Posted in Do It!, Outdoor Attractions, Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , ,
28 Oct 2019

Phobophobia 13

WHAT: Phobophobia 13
WHEN: 25 October – 2 November, 2019 (6pm-10pm)
WHERE: The London Bridge Experience (2-4 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2SY)
PRICE: £31-60

OUR RATING: Chance It!

Credit: The London Bridge Experience

This year, we returned to The London Bridge Experience for Halloween and their latest iteration of the attraction, Phobophobia 13, after attending a similar event several seasons ago. With the term phobophobia meaning the fear of phobias and the sensations associated with those phobias, and mentions of monsters, clowns, snakes, insects and more, we were quite excited to see what the most central to London Halloween maze had to offer.

We remember creepy performers and hospital beds rolling down the street as we queued up last time for the event, but this year they had a much different approach – karaoke? With lyrics projected onto tunnel walls, a very entertaining Steampunk gent invited the crowds to sing along with popular songs. Most of the line seemed to enjoy it during the long wait to enter the attraction, but it mainly had us really confused how karaoke – and not even Halloween themed karaoke – had anything to do with the attraction, nor did it prime us to anticipate anything scary!

Perhaps due to the popularity of the event, the organizers chose to put everyone in groups of ten to enter the maze – this is by far the greatest number of people in a single group we have experienced, and in our opinion much too large to be able to traverse a haunt properly.

Credit: The London Bridge Experience

There are two parts of the maze, an upstairs themed space, which we assume changes drastically depending on the theme that year, and the lower London Tombs, which itself becomes part of the maze. While the first intake room with snakes was a bit of a miss (and we wonder how pleasant for the snakes involved), we soon entered a seance calling forth a victim of Jack the Ripper; a thoroughly unsettling happening. The upstairs as a whole was a bit hit or miss, with the most unappealing part of the night being a hillbilly wedding where a character physically and somewhat sexually harassed one of the men in our group. Perhaps it was supposed to be creepy and funny, but it was just really off-putting!

The best part of the night was once we got through the first half of the maze and entered into the tombs, which are such an amazing setting for a haunt. However, there was a downside – here we were asked to put our hands on the shoulder of the person in front of us. Little did we know then, but the rest of our group were so terrified that we basically jogged the entire way through the maze in order to keep up with everyone in front of us – thereby missing most of what the lower part of the tombs had to offer.

However, what we did experience was quite hair-raising, with actors emitting terrifying shrieks and groans, and emerging out of the most unassuming places. Another huge difference with this maze compared to the others we’ve attended this year is that not only did these actors touch us, they grabbed us, and two creatures completely physically overwhelmed one of the girls in front of us who had gotten cut off from the rest of the group (again, since everyone was basically running, there is only so much we could all do to hang on and keep up!) Since we’ve gone to so many no-touch mazes this year already (usually our preference), having the actors touch us was so surprisingly terrifying.

Credit: The London Bridge Experience

Final Thoughts: In terms of haunts, we can’t say that Phobophobia 13 has been our absolute favorite this year. However, if you are limited to London it is by far your best option for a scare maze in the centre of the city. The experience is possibly contingent upon your group attitude: if they decide to run through the maze, the price of admission might be considered a tad steep. If, however, they are willing to absorb the terrors within like a fine Amontillado, best savored, you will have a far better adventure.

P.S.: If you are able to travel a small while outside London, Tulleys Shocktober Fest is where you want to head for a night of trepidation and terror.


Posted in Do It!, See It! and tagged , , , ,
25 Oct 2019

Dr. Fright’s Halloween Nights

WHAT: Dr. Fright’s Halloween Nights
WHEN: 17 October – 2 November, 2019
WHERE: White Nurseries (Clay Lane, Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, NN6 0EP)
PRICE: £16.95-33.95

OUR RATING: Do It!

Credit: Dr. Frights Ltd

Welcome to HorrorTown – an indoor township of terror buzzing with four scare attractions, a food stall, a bar, and an electric atmosphere uniting them all. This haunt promised to be a mix of fun and fear – and boy was it! There was such a great feeling to this place, and while there were a few patrons that threatened to ruin the experience for us (shrieking children and drunk adults), we definitely soaked up the Halloween atmosphere at this scream park’s 10th anniversary.

Credit: Dr. Frights Ltd

There’s Something in the Woods
Our Scare Factor: 8/10
Atmosphere: 8/10

Storyline: Take a harrowing journey through the dense, dark woods that surround St. Agatha’s boarding school. Discover the terrifying presence possessing the nuns and students that live there. 

This maze was a great start to our evening – we trekked through ‘the woods’ and ended up at a creepy Catholic school, with real scares along the way. There were some significant jump scares and so many parts where we didn’t know where the actors were appearing from. The best moments were when we questioned which bodies and shadows were real and what were just props, with all aspects having a great sense of timing and an amazing grasp of light versus dark. It will take us a while to forget terrifying screaming nuns!

Credit: Dr. Frights Ltd

Hollywood Horror: Director’s Cut
Our Scare Factor: 6/10
Atmosphere: 8/10

Storyline: It’s time for you to take a trip through some of the most iconic moments in horror cinema.

It was so much fun to see classic monsters from the cinema – creatures from scary movies of our childhood – returning in front of our very eyes. There were some wonderful interactions between music from the films and the characters themselves. Iconic moments included reliving the movie house scene in Scream and some really disturbing mimicked laughing from Pennywise the Clown. Super sinister!

Credit: Dr. Frights Ltd

Redneck Redemption
Our Scare Factor: 2/10
Atmosphere: 4/10

Storyline: Mumma Beef’s gang has evaded capture and taken up residence in an abandoned mining town. Encounter murderous, blood fueled hillbillies on a rip rollicking journey.

We are so surprised that this maze lives in the same attraction as the three other great mazes, as this one was a severe let down. Unlike the others, this maze was very open and bright, and we could see all the other guests moving around us as well as many scenes and…hillbillies…coming up – which meant that nothing was a surprise to us, not to mention the extreme cliche of the entire theme.

Credit: Dr. Frights Ltd

Killer Clowns on a Spaceship
Our Scare Factor: 7/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Storyline: The killer clowns are back! And this time they have gone intergalactic! All you need to know is they want you dead. So your mission is simple… escape!

With the absurd movie an inspiration for this maze we expected it to be a bit bizarre and fun – and indeed it was! The labyrinth certainly wasn’t your typical clown and fun house theme, but rather a few clowns meets ridiculous sci–fi equipment meets … techno music! There was an amazingly effective use of strobe lights in this haunt, as they turned down the frequency of strobes and thus aided actors in moving about in surprising and intimidating ways. With the nature of the maze and the fun music playing on the speakers, we ended up in quite a hilarious mood in this one, dancing during the drop to Benny Benassi’s ‘Satisfaction’ in order to get past a crazy clown – definitely a memorable moment!

Final Thoughts: With an awesome mix of chills, laughs, and totally mad theming and characters, Dr. Fright’s is completely different from anything else out there. Now running for 10 seasons, this is one horror series you can’t afford to miss.

P.S.: Need another haunt to get your blood pumping? Try Hallowscream at York Maze for some more terrifying encounters.

Posted in Do It!, See It! and tagged , , , ,
24 Oct 2019

Cursed Presents Fright Fest 2019

WHAT: Cursed Presents Fright Fest 2019
WHEN: 17 October – 2 November, 2019
WHERE: Wat Tyler Centre (Pitsea Hall Lane, Pitsea, Basildon, SS16 4UH)
PRICE: £18-34

OUR RATING: CHANCE IT!

Credit: BCM Productions

On the winding back roads of the Essex countryside, you come across a whimsical fairground, complete with big top. But beware: this isn’t your ordinary circus, which you’ll soon realize when the friendly-looking clown that’s rapidly approaching has something other than fun on his mind. Enter Cursed…

Credit: BCM Productions

Safe Zone
Our Scare Factor: 6/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Storyline: The infected are honing in, and you need to make it to quarantine. Will you arrive at the safe zone unharmed, or will you become one of them?

After facing judgement we were thrown into the outside ‘safe zone’ starting with a journey through a haystack maze. This was definitely one of the highlights of the night, as the haystacks and the actors created a chilling ambience, and it was really fun trying to decide in the complete dark which path to take and if we should venture under the haystack piles and face the wrath of the creatures in order to get out. 

The only real downside to this maze is that after we passed the actors some of them broke character and started chatting and laughing, but it was still probably the most fun we had all night. 

Credit: BCM Productions

The Institute
Our Scare Factor: 5/10
Atmosphere: 5/10

Storyline: As Junior Reporter’s, you have been assigned to witness the execution of Andie Gard at Bridgegate Institute, the infamous serial killer… but inmates don’t take too kindly to visitors, so watch your back

The beginning of this maze was definitely scary as you witnessed the attempted – and botched – execution of a serial killer who escapes in front of your very eyes. Other than this, this was a very typical prison-style attraction with lots of metal bars and strobe lights, but the beginning certainly made it an entertaining adventure. 

Credit: BCM Productions

The Haunting
Scare Factor: 5/10
Atmosphere: 6/10

Storyline: This house has been left vacant for decades, and you are about to learn why. You’d be surprised how heightened your senses are when you aren’t able to see.

After experiencing Tulleys’ VIXI maze, the concept behind this maze was very familiar. We put on blackout goggles to venture into this hair-raising house – while a bit annoying for those who wear glasses, this was much better than the black hoods of Tulleys, as we could feel water, air, and other elements on our faces, which was certainly an interesting experience. We don’t think the two mazes were too different from each other other than this – it still seemed a bit too simple and missing out on lots of sensory opportunities (again, no smells!) but there was a tiny bit of touching by the actors which was definitely creepy! (Granted, they should have warned about this for those who have issues, but it was so slight to not be problematic for us – instead it was quite intriguing!)

Credit: BCM Productions

Abducted
Our Scare Factor: 5/10
Atmosphere: 5/10

Storyline: A quiet drink in the local tavern leads to a chilling story about local disappearances. What will you do when you come face to face with the explanation? Running may be your only option.

The beginning and end of this maze were exceptional, with an immersive tavern-themed intake room and a crazy room full of alien-like nests and creatures protecting them at the end. We also enjoyed the slower strobes in this maze where we couldn’t really see what terrors we were headed toward at the end of harrowing hallways. Our special warning for this maze is to put your hats and any loose accessories away before you get extremely squeezed – do not take the warnings of claustrophobia in this one lightly!

Credit: BCM Productions

The Sewers
Our Scare Factor: 4/10
Atmosphere: 5/10

Storyline: The Workshop was shut down, forcing business underground. Will you be able to navigate your way through the tunnel system and escape the butchers clasp?

This maze certainly had a genuinely fun theme perfect for the UK at Halloween, with old and eerie Victorian-style brick walls and tunnels you had to choose between. Unfortunately, while all the mazes at this park were short, this one was even shorter, and we were out before we really knew what was going, but it was gripping while it lasted!

Final Thoughts: This was for sure a special community-style event and we could tell the actors really cared and tried very hard to help you enjoy your evening. The mazes were admittedly quite short, but they definitely took amazing advantage of the space allowed in each of the maze marquees. The biggest disappointment was the theming of the main event green area, which is the hub into and out of the mazes. There was a small entertainment space and a single food truck, but the lack of lighting and any decorations really let this area down. We didn’t really want to hang around and enjoy the ambience as there really wasn’t any – this was the biggest let down of the night, and just a few small touches, from decorating the ped-barriers to adding some strands of lights or even a sweet stand, would have changed everything. But all in all the mazes and actors made this a night we would suggest you give a try, especially if you are local to the area!

P.S.: The UK has haunts galore this Halloween season. Why not try out Hallowscream at York Maze for some more chills and thrills.

Posted in Do It!, Festivals, Outdoor Attractions, Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , ,
20 Oct 2019

Hallowscream

WHAT: Hallowscream
WHEN: 11 October – 2 November, 2019
WHERE: York Maze (Elvington Lane, York, YO19 5LT)
PRICE: £22-40

OUR RATING: Do It!

There’s no doubt about it: London seems to have it all. But, it’s a common mistake of Londoners not to venture beyond the city limits and miss out on all that the country as a whole has to offer. This Halloween, we’re travelling north to York Maze and the award-winning Hallowscream, an entire park dedicated to this dark season. With a thrilling and chilling five mazes, ample food and drink options, and spooky surroundings, if Halloween is your thing then Hallowscream is THE place to be.

As soon as you line up to enter the park, you know you’re in for a scream. Watch out – monstrous characters stalk the waiting area and aren’t afraid to spot a scared victim amongst the crowd. Soon after being admitted, you are given a primer on all things Hallowscream by a most unusual character. We won’t spoil it for you, but the level of technical expertise (which we’ve only ever seen in the US before) immediately sets Hallowscream apart from the competition. After being rapidly spewed out into the park, the terror begins….

The Singularity
Our Scare Factor: 6/10
Atmosphere: 9/10

Storyline: A scientist creates a human/robot hybrid, hoping to bring peace before the world becomes broken in a war between robots and humans.

What a way to start the night! The details and the set for this maze were so astoundingly unique – lasers, distinct zones, and plenty of hidden corners. The makeup/prosthetics for the androids was amazing and the acting was superb. It’s immediately apparent that a great deal of effort has been put into narrative – something sorely lacking from other mazes we’ve been to – and to see such dedication to storyline bridges the gap between a simple horror maze and a fully immersive experience.

2078
Our Scare Factor: 7/10
Atmosphere: 9/10

Storyline: The scientist we learned about during The Singularity makes a return, but this time shows us a future of a “post-Trump” nuclear apocalypse were society has broken down and everyone has become sick with radiation poisoning.

This maze was again completely immersive, moving from a science fiction time machine to a creepy corn field and finally to a world when Trump takes over everything – yes even the NHS – and society crumbles. There were really unique water and fire elements on top of more great acting. The tension ramped up as we traveled through an infected world towards possible decontamination – the only question was could we make it?

The Flesh Pot
Our Scare Factor: 4/10
Atmosphere: 5/10

Storyline: A butcher slaughters the drunks and whores of York, skinning them alive, selling their joints in his shop, and blending the rest of the bits into his pies.

Your typical maze and story, and very similar in concept to many other mazes around the country. The makeup, yet again, was fantastic and the characters had consistent elements that helped create the world around us, but it was a bit one-noted compared to the other mazes we had just experienced.

Corny’s Cornevil
Our Scare Factor: 7.5/10
Atmosphere: 9/10

Storyline: Corny, the famous circus clown who was killed by the butcher from The Flesh Pot, haunts his twisted and sinister house of fun.

Not only does this rival Tulleys great 3D circus maze, it probably beats it. You begin the maze as one should – with a hall of mirrors and continuing into almost every sort of funhouse element you can think of. There were interactive moving floors, endless optical illusion rooms – we weren’t sure which way was up or down or more importantly – out! The actors in this maze were particularly great, knowing exactly what movements make creepy characters, especially clowns, work in an experience like this.

Barnageddon 3D
Our Scare Factor: 3/10
Atmosphere: 6/10

Storyline: An industrial accident plunged the brave workmen of Dunnington Lodge into an underground chasm, where they now work on into eternity.

We were really looking forward to this maze as it’s on all the ‘best maze’ lists we’ve been reading while making our plans on what to visit and review this Halloween. There were fun 3D glasses, but we were a bit confused at what the theme in this was, and the acting, makeup, costumes and set pieces just weren’t on a par with the other mazes. There were some redeeming elements, however, such as the first toilet room (look out for that smell!), a great water element, and some really creepy masks towards the end!

Final Thoughts: Not only are Hallowscream’s mazes truly thrilling, but the atmosphere around the entire event, from the queue and food stall theming, to the quirky horror inspired fairground games, fully immerses you in the spirit of the season. The best Halloween event we’ve experienced in the UK by far!

P.S.: Need another haunt for the Halloween season? Check out our review of Tulleys Shocktober Fest.

*All images credit York Maze

Posted in Do It!, Festivals, Nightlife, Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , ,
11 Oct 2019

Tulleys Shocktober Fest 2019

WHAT: Tullys Shocktober Fest
WHEN: 4 October – 2 November, 2019
WHERE: Tulleys Farm (Turners Hill Road, Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 4PE)
PRICE: £12-150

OUR RATING: Do It!

Storefront City is back from hiatus and what better way to kick off our return than to review a scare attraction celebrating our favourite holiday of the year – Halloween.

The last time we reviewed a haunted attraction was Thorpe Park’s Fright Nights. It’s good to know before you continue to read our review that as producers of immersive haunts ourselves and avid haunt-goers when we lived in the US, we have relatively high expectations and aren’t super easy to scare – although we try to put ourselves in the zone no matter the haunt!

Tulleys Shocktober Fest, with its wealth of history and huge playing space, is a must to visit with TEN haunts – eight scare mazes, a haunted hayride and a circus act.

We attended early in the season in the haunt’s second week of operation on a weekday. Since we absolutely had to experience every single maze, we arrived super early. The mazes open half an hour after the park itself does, which gives you time to walk around and get a feeling for the place. The park has a really smart flow as you go from haunt to haunt and encounter bars, food stalls, rides, and live music stages, with the smell of bonfires comforting you along the way. There are also really convenient boards that display live queue times, but on the night we went the queues were only between 5 and 20 minutes long. We were worried for no reason!

The Park has a truly spooky atmosphere – roaming characters who convey a rich mix of creepy and humour. Now for the haunts:


The Cellar
Our Scare Factor: 7/10
Atmosphere Rating: 8/10

“Those that dwell in the Cellar have not been forgotten.

We had read that The Cellar was one of the best and scariest haunts, so we decided to beat everyone to it and get to it first. This haunt was highly detailed and themed (the dank, miserable interiors oozed with terror), with interim rooms just as interesting as the main rooms, which really explored what you can do with different sized spaces. While we ultimately didn’t think it was the scariest maze we’ve ever been to, it was definitely one of the scariest at the park.


Twisted Clowns
Our Scare Factor: 6/10
Atmosphere Rating: 8 or 9/10

“The Clowns are here as you expected. An unhappy band of souls neglected. ”

We were very wary of the concept of a 3D maze, but man did we misjudge this maze from the outside! The 3D glasses you are given help the UV paint pop, making both the images and the actors jump out of nowhere. The rooms are slanted with a great funhouse feel. This also had one of the best executed Spin Tunnels we’ve ever experienced because the UV paint and 3D glasses really did make you feel like you were dizzily floating in space. The only downsides to this maze was that it was a bit too short and that it missed out on a few classic funhouse themed tricks we’ve seen before, but ultimately this was super memorable. Not for coulrophobia sufferers!



Wasteland Penitentiary
Our Scare Factor: 5/10
Atmosphere Rating: 5/10

“Beyond the explosion ripped through the world, bringing an end to civil life.”

When we first approached the outside of this haunt we were kind of blown away (some entrances weren’t themed at all, which was a really strange inconsistency in the park). There was even a real blacksmith working away on one side of the apocalyptic wasteland space while characters roamed around. However, the haunt itself was extremely underwhelming and one of our least favourites. But if you like a haunt that’s basically prison bars along most of the way with lots of banging about, strobe lights, and loud metal music, maybe this is for you.


The Wreckoning
Our Scare Factor: 5/10
Atmosphere Rating: 9/10

“These are stranded souls who have sunk to the depths of despair & depravity.”

For the first minute or two of the maze we were a bit underwhelmed and really – what’s so scary about adventure music and pirates? But suddenly around halfway through the maze the entire world opened up and the set design was ramped up to the extreme. The maze was absolutely gigantic with lots of very beautiful little worlds and some really fun floor elements – definitely one of our favourites. Certain to shiver your timbers!


The Chop Shop
Our Scare Factor: 4/10
Atmosphere Rating: 2/10

“You better be careful now, Billy-Bob is real handy with a reconstruction.”

Maybe this was a bit of a self-fulfilled prophecy; we went into this haunt with low expectations and luckily so as it wouldn’t have lived up to any. The maze pretty much consisted of just white walls and fake blood and chainsaws. It was a relatively short scare – the scariest part was how real the chainsaws were but that’s really about it. Our favourite part of this maze was the full grown bloke behind us, terrified to get away from the chainsaws as quickly as possible.


VIXI
Our Scare Factor: 5/10
Atmosphere Rating: 5/10

“A torturous, painful and tormented moment before finality.”

During this haunt a black hood is placed over your head to encourage the idea of sensory deprivation. It was a good idea in concept, but not as well executed as we hoped. It was a relatively short haunt and didn’t really touch on many teases to the senses – there were some smart choices and nice experiences but really – nothing at all to play with the sense of smell? What? It just missed one too many tricks for us. 


The Village Coven of 13
Our Scare Factor: 6 or 7/10
Atmosphere Rating: 9/10

“A witch confirmed, tried and convicted; Death upon her was afflicted.”

Just wow – what a great atmosphere to this! Lovely woods and trees and then this absolutely riveting and somewhat terrifying trick they use with lasers and fog to make it look like the witches are emerging out of water to come and attack while you struggle through the set as if trying to swim away. Very surreal and very beautiful. An extremely effective atmosphere and use of the woodland spaces and a very nice change from the white wall interiors of some of the other mazes. Some of the actors really understood how scary quiet creepiness can be too, another nice change from all the banging and screaming.


Creepy Cottage
Our Scare Factor: 1/10
Atmosphere Rating: 3/10

“The occupants of this house would like you to stay for a very long time.”

We were warned in other reviews that this was the least exciting haunt, and those reviews were definitely right. There were some nice and creepy sounds and voices and a nice sensory trick but that was about it apart from some skeletons. Probably a good one for those first starting out though!


Circus of Horrors
Our Scare Factor: 3/10
Atmosphere Rating: 5/10

“Blending horror and burlesque with bizarre acts and live rock music.”

We actually attended a full performance of Circus of Horrors when they were in London. Gothic, crazy, and consisting of unusual feats of (impaling) swordsmanship, we liked the aesthetic, but some of their acts are most certainly gruesome indeed!


Haunted Hayride
Our Scare Factor: 5/10
Atmosphere Rating: 8 or 9/10

“Explore the abandoned backlot at the Horrorwood Film Studios.

An absolute must when you visit – it may not be the scariest experience, but there are definitely moments, and the acting is probably some of the best in the park. Fun, unexpected, and full of thrills, there are lots of great set pieces and a ton of interaction with set pieces and actors, with a lovely balance between creepiness and humour. We especially loved the scarecrow and pumpkin men set pieces and the actors who didn’t approach the tractor but instead stared at us from afar. There is also a hilarious and random ending with some nuns you’ve got to see to understand…or not understand….but funny to the extreme!

Summary: Go! Go with friends, go for a deadly night out, take your time exploring the whole park. Definitely go and see the clowns, witches and pirates and go for a nice hayride. Indulge in some not-too-expensive treats like choco-kebabs, fancy mac and cheese, or lots of other options in street food. Go go go, it’s the perfect combination of scary and fun – a great night out!

P.S.: For some more haunting fun, check out our review of Thorpe Park Fright Nights.

*All quotes and images credit Tullys Shocktober Fest

Posted in Do It!, Festivals, Outdoor Attractions, Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , ,
07 Sep 2014

The Boy Who Climbed Out of His Face

shunt-artwork-Time-Out-528x334WHAT: The Boy Who Climbed Out of His Face
WHEN: 14 Aug-28 Sept, 2014
WHERE: The Jetty
(Greenwich Peninsula, SE10 0FL)
RUNTIME: 45 mins.
WHO: Shunt
PRICE: £10
OUR RATING: Do It!

There’s big business in immersive theatre these days. With the rise of Punchdrunk and consequent rise of ticket prices, Shunt’s The Boy Who Climbed Out of His Face provides the full, rich force of the immersive experience without the outrageous price tag. Beautifully poignant, unsettling and often funny, Shunt uses the space it has excellently and evokes many fantabulous vignettes, in which attention to detail is always evident and caring.

images (10)Adam: After walking some time from the North Greenwich DLR station and leaving behind the more obvious signs of life, I approached what is aptly described as The Jetty, a new riverside venue hosting Shunt, in the old Docklands area. It’s very important that I don’t spoil this incredibly special experience, but from the outset it is clear that clambering through disused shipping containers will be key to your journey.

As you venture deeper into the complex of containers, the bizarreness of the world becomes ever more brazen – highly detailed worlds emerge from the dark to get lost in, while characters top off the surrealism with psychologically challenging performances.

There is something funhouse about the whole performance and it is best experienced by those not afraid to dive in and get involved. Before you know it, the 45 minutes are up, as is the case with many immersive productions. Perhaps some would say it is just too short, but by concentrating their efforts to a confined space and definite vision Shunt creates a believably weird world – one which it was a pleasure to be a part of.

shuntAlicia: Shunt has taken great pains to transform a series of shipping containers into a melange of beautifully absurd stories and environments, taking you outdoors, indoors and within minds all at the same time. It is obvious that a shipping container environment could provide some limitations to a theatre piece due to size constraints and a variety of other factors but this has not stopped this ambitious and risk-taking company in creating a masterful world. While the aesthetics of some of the rooms are breathtaking in their vision, it is really the characters who pull the whole piece together, inviting the audience to explore, consider and question. Again, I don’t want to spoil too much of the show!

shunt4What makes this Shunt show a great experience is that the company invites you for a full night out. When you make your way to The Jetty you immediately step into a pop up BBQ and Cocktail bar complete with entertainment and live music to keep your blood pumping before and after the performance. Chef Matthew Baxter is the man of the hour here, producing sumptuous treats with anything from fish and chips to barbeque ribs and pulled pork. But really, the Long Island Iced Tea with a scoop of fresh coconut ice cream was the crème de la crème of the night.

It will be interesting to see what The Jetty next has in store in regards to pop-up and participative experiences – I’m sure we’ll be back here again soon!

shunt3Final Thoughts: The Boy Who Climbed Out of His Face is your go-to show this month. For a tenner you can get great live music, explore the Greenwich Peninsula, and experience the peculiar and beautiful work Shunt is known for. Shoeless and vulnerable, we suggest you let Shunt guide you through this unique maze of adventure. And make sure to look out for our favorite bit in the last scene. Hint: it has batteries.

Posted in Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,
18 Jul 2014
1 Comment

Leviathan

WHAT: Leviathan
WHEN: 15th-26th July, 2014
WHERE: Hackney Downs Studios (17 Amhurst Terrace, E8 2BT)
Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.03.25 PMRUNTIME: 45 mins.
WHO: Living Structures
PRICE: £16-20

OUR RATING: Skip It!

[Warning: Contains Spoilers]

The hunt for the great white whale. Immersive Theatre-makers Living Structures specialise in  visual, physical and musical performances within large-scale immersive structures, this time attempting to take audiences on an artistic adventure through the high seas.

This time, Storefront City London invited our Visual Arts editor Éimear Doherty (check her bio below) along for the ride:

Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.03.08 PM

Photo by Angela Alegria

Éimear: My first exposure to Moby Dick was the 1956 film starring Gregory Peck. I remember feeling perplexed and uneasy after the black and white classic…then again, I was only 7 years old, so I forgave myself for not quite picking up on the complexity of the tale and film. Last night, however, I felt a little bit of a failure. No matter how hard I tried, I was unable to completely immerse myself in the experience, too distracted by a litany of questions:

‘Am I supposed to understand what they are saying?’

‘Why are they pushing me?’

‘What am I supposed to do with this shot of salted water?’

‘What did she say?’

‘Is this theatre or performance art?

I enjoyed the musical element of the performance; the chanting and exercise-ball-percussion brought a dimension to the experience that I think many could enjoy.

Photo from Living Structures

Photo from Living Structures

But Living Structures is known for their ‘immersive performance events’, correct? The audience was ‘immersed’ in parts, but if I am being honest, on too many occasions, I felt coerced. At 9pm, after a balmy day in London, I had experienced my fair share of pushing and shoving for the day. Either this was a play exclusively for Living Structures’ followers, who understood how to ‘perform’ as an attendee, or it aimed to immerse the audience in a space above and beyond their comfort zone.

As someone who enjoys trying new things, I cannot help but shed a positive light on the experience. It certainly did challenge and provoke many a thought. But surely nothing should be that difficult to follow and enjoy. This time, Skip it.

Photo by Angela Alegria

Photo by Angela Alegria

Alicia: Despite being a regular immersive-theatre goer, I had a strikingly similar experience of the performance as did our guest reviewer. Walking into the performance space sent chills down my spine (despite feeling clammy and uncomfortable wearing a version of an oil-skin jacket) as a naked Ishmael swam his way on a downward slope, struggling for survival, struggling to tell his heart-wrenching story. And it was powerful, beautiful, sonically excellent. But then he opened his mouth and the entire show turned for the worse.

Photo by Angela Alegria

Photo by Angela Alegria

There are seeds of beauty – flutters of potential. The use of monochrome colours, geometric shapes and Russian Constructivism are mostly all stunning, the choreography sometimes masterful. And the music? In an entire different league, at least in terms of composition – spectacularly haunting. But these moments are few and far between. The show as a whole feels extremely unpolished and the relationship with the audience completely unclear. It needs tightening here, expanding there, focus everywhere. Not just gimmicks of “Why not make the audience stand up and then push them to the side so they don’t know where you want them?” or “Let’s just put another sheet on top of their heads to play with space and height.” Many theatre makers adopt these types of tools, but never has it been so painfully obvious and obviously misused.

Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.03.50 PMI commend Living Structures for the graphic and sonal beauty of rare poetically beautiful moments. But the piece overall is just confusing, rushed, and poorly tied together. Words are eaten by the very devices that are meant to project them, water cools and drizzles on the audience when it should spark and ignite their imagination, giant whales are flacid and lifeless when they should be terrifyingly dangerous, the ship sails calm seas when it should be tossed, turned and whipped around by perilous storms and a deadly beast, and large props are dragged here and there leaving one to question – what was it all for?

Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.02.37 PMFinal Thoughts: While admirably composed and a good effort made, Leviathan simply doesn’t live up to the grandeur required of it. However, we hope to see what the future brings for this inspired company.

P.S. Éimear Doherty Bio:

Éimear is in the final stages of her MA in Arts Policy and Management at Birkbeck University, a project she juggles alongside a number of other projects and passions. Since moving permanently to London in the autumn of 2013, she has endeavoured to attend as much theatre as her time and pocket permits; striving to catch up after years of being immersed in the world of visual arts and art history. When not in the library or kitchen, Éimear can be found on her bike or eyeing up the city’s latest art exhibitions.

Posted in Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
05 Jul 2014

Macbeth

macbeth2WHAT: Macbeth
WHEN: 7:40pm-9:30am June – August, 2014 (select dates)
WHERE: Secret Zone 2 Location
RUNTIME: Approx. 14 hours
WHO: RIFT
PRICE:£20-40

OUR RATING: Do It!

(Warning, contains some spoilers)

A great Eastern European Banquet. Blood. Murder. The infamous Scottish play comes to life in a secret Zone 2 location. Billed as an immersive theatre piece, the performance takes place from dusk ‘til dawn, RIFT (formerly known as Retz) invites audiences to enter the rift and be transported to spend the night in a murderous building undergoing a series of intense political, emotional and moral conflicts.

macbeth1

Adam: Entering into the world of RIFT’s Macbeth is a hauntingly beautiful, spine-tingling and an (occasionally nervous) laughter-filled adventure. Begin by being whisked into a dark, dangerous void only to emerge into a dimly lit realm of intrigue and vice. The set, real rooms in a undisclosed building, is immense and meticulously dressed, while the acting convincing and consistent. Enter suites aptly named “Fife”, “Edinburgh” and so on, each holding a special scene just for you.

Credit RIFT

Credit RIFT

Different to most immersive events, narrative is no lost in scenic design as with recent Punchdrunk shows and is central to your experience. Don’t worry, you won’t miss anything as you are well looked-after (just watch out for the occasional blood-spatter). Interspersed with the action, you’ll have ample opportunities to mingle with fellow guests over many delicious beverages, but make sure you change enough money at the checkpoint on the way in.

My only minor concern (or should I call it confusion) was the choice to base the play in a stereotypical Eastern European/Balkan country called Borduria (which I believe is derived from the Tintin comics) rather than in pure Scotland. I partly find this an unfortunate decision, as Scotland was referred to by cast members often, even when not part of the original play. I feel that perhaps the organisers were subconsciously influenced by the 2007 version of Macbeth at the Chichester Festival Theatre, which was heavily based upon Stalinist Russia. Nevertheless, commitment to accents and characters was brilliant and not to be missed.

Credit RIFT

Credit RIFT

Alicia: What truly made this performance unique for me as a regular theatre (and immersive theatre)-goer was the element of personal engagement allowed for and nourished during the production. We were taken along with five other individuals into the first scene, and these were the five individuals we spent the rest of the night with, led by a group guide Natasha, who’s wit and delivery of comic responses to certain situations was absolutely classic! Natasha and the nurturing of the group dynamic created a little family of adventurers (many of us accidental illegal immigrants to the country of Borduria). Encompassing a broad range of unexpected genres – from moments of comedy to the clear dark tones of this tragedy – RIFT transported our entire group through an intimate, chaotic and tension filled epic.

The meal was also quite unexpected. I won’t go into the specifics and ruin the surprise, but RIFT definitely provided a sumptuous feast – and even if you are the most outrageous carnivore I bet you you’ll enjoy the bounteous vegetarian supper! This meal was yet another opportunity to engage with other audience members and the cast, who never once slipped from their characters despite sporting Eastern European accents for countless hours.

Credit RIFT

Credit RIFT

I must caution ye all, potential audiences of Macbeth, that this adventure is not without its dangers. I’m not quite sure it passes all of the safety requirements of a large-scale production, and I can feel my foot still throbbing from a raised doorstep and no cautions to watch my step. And if you don’t like stairs, this probably isn’t the production for you either. Nonetheless, I must say I think the level of attention put into such things was mostly acceptable, and I applaud their conversion of the site into their own unique realm without worrying about unnecessary bells and whistles some companies spend a fortune on.

macbeth5Final Thoughts: We say do it – but don’t get your hopes up too much about immersion lasting from dusk to dawn. The overnight aspect of the performance is not much more than a gimmick, with the performance lasting until 1am or so and with the only morning wrap up being a bit of food, a few minutes of acting and a forced prompt to survey the view from the roof. And make sure you are up for a late night when you opt-in to this, or if you really are tired when the acting ends and the night’s celebration begins, make sure you are proactive about telling the attendants you want to go to sleep – they don’t really make this option clear when the night starts to wind down.

Despite these pitfalls, you really do get your bang for your buck with this production, with hours of personal and engaging performance paired with a delicious feast and the opportunity to share a unique experience with those around you, and the supporting cast of guides and the amazing Alexander Luttley really do make you feel like you exist and matter in this new world. Just watch out about the first impressions you give off – nicknames will stick like glue!

Posted in Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , , , ,

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