Spooky or Scary?

As the dust settles on 24 and the countdown clock resets for 25, it is the perfect time to reflect how this years offerings were executed (pun intended). This was an ambitious attempt at providing the best in children’s Halloween entertainment that the London borough of Enfield could provide, in the most part, I believe we were and are successful. Planning started in January 2024 with the circus idea, 1 sort of theatre that the audience would walk into and then be entertained by six different acts. Reflecting on last years success, it was clear to me that a maze of some description was both required and needed for the Dread House to work. The previous years had been a walk through past different actors and their performances, this concept had the actors coming to them.

I went back to the drawing board in February and redesigned the stage area to allow one performer at the end of a maze. One of the criticisms from myself and Alex at Capel Manor, was making sure that the audience weren’t stopped in their tracks for too long. This is something that became apparent during this years show. I was able in my performance on some days, to ask people if they were suitably freaked out and did they just want to move along through the Spookarium. Everyone said yes. Valuable feedback that shaped the remainder of the haunt and for further years to come.

The final redrafting came at the end of August, when Greg suggested four stages happening at the same time, and the audience having moved through the Spookarium, could choose which stage they wanted to go to. For some reason, only one stage happened at one time, and we resorted back to the previous queuing system, making people wait for a long time. The maze took at the most 2 – 3 minutes to walk through and the circus a fair bit longer for each of the 4 acts to perform. Setting aside the various internal nonsense arguments, some actors refused to be directed, I would have to say it was the worst of the years so far. One actor was abused by a member of the public and for personal reasons was unable to continue. Another actor and company director was ill and worryingly so, he needed to have 3 days off to recover.

For this reason alone, I chose to close the circus and concentrate on the maze and move all the actors there. An obvious side effect was the many repeat customers who wanted to walk through the maze over 6 times. I took that as a massive compliment, whether that was deserved was neither here nor there, there was plenty to do on the grounds, the pumpkin patch, bouncy castle, spooky walk, Labyrinth, zoo, pumpkin carving etc. Coming back to go through the Dread House and the Spookarium says something as to it’s fun nature and quality of product. The design was correct for the moment it was conceived, in practice, the Spookarium was set the wrong way round. The Tunnel of Terror should have been at the end and the Box Office at the start instead of after the ToT. There were too many actors and they weren’t needed. We got away with it and I hate getting away with it, I like things to be done well. I introduced two shows, one was called spooky, it was aimed at young children who were scared. It was dressed in green light, actors stood still and there weren’t jump scares. Then there was a scary version, actors jumping and screaming in your face, all dressed in a red light. For those who had done both versions and wanted something more, we turned off all the lights and sound and the actors jumped out on you at the end. I also tried to add a couple of circus sections but there wasn’t any real interest.

In regard to our 3 haunts at Capel manor, this is ranked as 3^rd place, so much so, there is a lot I want to forget. I also spent a lot of time wishing it was over, so unlike me, I live for Halloween. I am putting in place major changes for next time, a complete separation between the youth group and the Dread House, that partnership has run it’s course. Some of the actors said it would be their last year and I will hold them to that. With the support of Greg and Jordan and a couple of extra people, it is clearly possible to set up a top rate functioning experience, given the same time to set up as this year. The plan for 2025 has already been designed. I doubt we will end up with it but it gives me hope and a feeling of control, that The Dread House 2025 will be much better.