Happy Halloween to you all!
If anyone knows me, they know I love Halloween. I get giddy when I see the first decorations go up in grocery stores. But you won’t exactly find a Halloween store popping up in every mall in London like you would stateside. So when my favorite holiday started to roll around, I was determined to soak up as much of it as I could. And as I learned, if you look hard enough, you will find all sorts of ways to get into the Halloween spirit.
Doors slamming, chairs rocking, screams in the night… A perfect night out! With a minimalist set and only three actors, the performers pulled out all their narrative skill to bring this story to life.
As an actor, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see The Woman in Black. You don’t see many plays in the horror genre, but this one hit the nail on the head. I went from sitting on the edge of my seat to shrinking into my cushion and hugging myself and back again. Now those who have seen the Daniel Radcliffe movie may go, “Pah! The movie’s surely scarier than any play could be.” Well, you may say that… until you turn in your seat and see the Woman in Black standing in the aisle beside you!
A stroll through 500 years of murder, plague, and pumpkins!
It’s no secret the London has a gruesome history. And rather than sweep it under the rug, they know how to embrace it, laugh at it, and capitalize on it for the holidays! Though the London Dungeon is a year-round attraction, they’ve decorated it for Halloween, and as soon as I saw the poster for it, I knew I had to go there. I thought it was going to be a terrifying experience, but it’s really meant to entertain (and even educate) more than scare. You’d be cowering from Jack the Ripper one moment, then laughing with Mrs. Lovett the next, then learning the real history about Guy Fawkes the next! Well… in reverse order. I’m not one for indulging the gift shop, but I had to take home my Sweeney Todd picture to remember this wonderful experience.
Yeah, I know all about the big, red sightseeing tour buses, but I’ll take a creepy converted funeral bus any Halloween!
I wasn’t quite sure how much I’d get into a ghost tour. Passing buildings and listing trivia and dates wasn’t my idea of Halloween fun. But the Ghost Bus Tour did all that and much more! The tour plays with onboard cameras and monitors, flickering lights, and an eerie sound system to weave its own little ghost story, also filled with great comedy moments and a number of surprises. Perfect for anyone looking for a spooky-funny show, but whose legs are too tired for the dungeon.
Chase Wheaton-Werle
<p><span style="color: rgb(29, 29, 29); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(237, 237, 237);">My name is Chase Wheaton-Werle. I'm a musical theatre major from the University of Tulsa. Outside of my major, I enjoy creative writing and poetry. In the fall of 2013 I'm attending Mountview Academy for the Theatre Arts. This will be my first experience out of the country, and as someone with a passion for theatre and British culture, I couldn't ask for a better destination. I hope this blog can provide not only some insight to the intensive curriculum of an actor in the theatre center of the world, but also some good chuckles.</span></p>
