Woolley Edge October Screams 2014 Review

PUP Events returned to Woolley Edge this year with their scare event ‘October Screams’, an installation of two terrifying scare attractions: The Barn (returning from last year), and The Pit, a brand new concept. Last time we attended a PUP attraction (Caine from earlier this year), we were impressed by their theatrical storytelling and theming. Did Woolley Edge October Screams follow suit? We went along to find out.

The Barn

Housed in an actual barn, this theming of attraction was extensive and thorough. It featured various rooms and scenes, all with amazing decoration and attention to detail. In terms of why we were there, the backstory covered this, however it was delivered to us by someone not in character, which seemed like a bit of a waste. We had been invited into the house (or so we thought), to meet ‘The Family’ who inhabit it. But they weren’t about to welcome us with tea & cakes. Far from it.

The layout and props were utilised brilliantly for maximum scares / generally freaking us out. Hanging laundry was a place for the scareactors to hide, and all hell broke loose in the kitchen, with real crockery being thrown (and smashed!) This was startling, and also quite intimidating! Interaction with the scareactors was frequent and also quite unsettling, as most of them were children; this is pretty uncommon and it was a bit uncomfortable at times, but I think that was the desired effect.

The attraction concluded with a strobe maze, which was a nice change of pace from exploring the house, followed by an encounter with the ‘Dad’ character. There was a great finish here; a shovel was used (in place of the usual chainsaw!) which was really effective. He was banging it against an oil drum and rattling it against the corrugated iron walls, and the sound this created was dramatic and alarming. Better than a chainsaw! An additional impact scare thrown in at the end made for a terrifying final flourish.

The Pit

The Pit followed on from The Barn, although in terms of the story it wasn’t altogether clear why we were sent in there, or how it linked back to the family. This attraction was a solo experience. We were hooded, and a rope was used to guide us through. The rope was a very effective method in terms of retaining control over our movements and making us feel vulnerable- at one point we were dared to let go of it, and we had very little success trying to find it again.

A variety of sensory attacks followed, including dripping water, people whispering, burial in the straw and verbal threats. The pièce de résistance, however, was an extremely unnerving chainsaw finish. Not just the sound, but the feel of the chainsaw- yup, it touched us! This was really effective after an unbearable period of stony silence.

We weren’t sure what to make of The Pit. It’s certainly very tense, but it did seem to lack a strong finish; the experience tailed off after the chainsaw. Perhaps a little scare after being de-hooded would round things off.

Overall, The Pit sits alongside other extreme attractions as part of a larger trend towards scare entertainment of a more adult nature, with more physical interaction and offensive content. Shock value is a factor here, and shock value has its place. But PUP excel in theatrical scare entertainment with a storyline, and it was a shame to lose that.