Sub-Species: The End Games A newbie in the Scarefest mix, and one which will most likely go down in history; I’d heard nothing but great things about this one. The maze kicked off with a few revelations about what was going to happen. No hands on shoulders. Prepare to be touched. Prepare to be split up. For someone who has only ever experienced Scarefest at its basic level (i.e. I haven’t tried the extreme or solo experiences), it was a breath of fresh air just to hear these. The maze got off to an intense start, as we were randomly picked off and bundled into rooms. Doors slammed and screams echoed. What happened from that point on? Honestly I couldn’t say. It was frenzied, chaotic, disorienting and unpredictable. I was alone for the vast majority of the experience, swearing and shrieking, with actors mauling me at every opportunity. I was treated to the tunnel finale, which was really scary and recalled many great sci-fi horror scenes. I wish I could have gone back and done it again; I know it would have been totally different a second time. The whole thing was absolutely mad, free-flowing, interactive joy. It was great to see the actors enjoying their freedom with so few choreographed scares. The only downside was the actor at the end must have registered my lack in interest in his chainsaw, and dangled it listlessly as I wandered towards the exit. Terror of the Towers A Scarefest staple (and firm favourite of mine), this maze is classic Halloween haunted house fare. Very little has changed with this one, but it remains as effective as ever. The dank and musty stench hit me as soon as we entered; I don’t know if this is a smell pod, or just the natural odour of the building, but it instils a deep sense of dread in me. I’m not sure how it compares with last year (as I didn’t go!) but I loved the multi-level layout and occasional instances of actors intending to be seen waiting for us. Target scares towards the front of the group were slick and unwavering, however I’m not sure this kind of treatment was consistent towards the back. The strobe finale, which I’ve always adored, took things up a notch this year. The vampire creatures felt closer somehow. I’m not sure if this was some visual trickery in the midst of the strobe, or a fear induced hallucination, but I could have sworn one of them pushed through the fence to get us. As always, the strobe timing was horrific perfection, making the final moments as intense as ever. The Haunting of Molly Crowe Molly Crowe was a hooded maze, which was a nice change of pace. I have nothing against this format, but the instructions were to have one hand on the rope, and the other on the shoulder of the person in front. This created a problem in that there were 2 external elements to concentrate on: keeping hold of the rope, and the speed at which the person in front was travelling. This combination was too distracting for me. The lack of visuals in a hooded maze creates a gap which must be filled with additional sensory elements. Molly Crowe certainly had plenty of touching, but that didn’t have much impact beyond the first few grabs. In terms of sounds, we could hear actors interacting and telling a story along the way, but the script could have taken things a lot further. I would have loved to hear some more disturbing/distressing content, such as more of Molly's cries and screams, etc. It could have made guests far more uncomfortable. The final act was thrilling, if a little anti-climactic. We removed our hoods to discover that we were stood in a bedroom, and Molly made quite an entrance! However, I would have preferred to remove the hood in a pitch dark room and have the bedroom revealed gradually, or in flashes of light. That would have been a lot more disorienting. Scare zones The scare zones this year were existing areas of the theme park with actors added in, as opposed to special designated walk-through zones. I found this a bit disappointing, but they were still enjoyable for the brief moments we were in them. I’m not going to rate the scare zones this year because they didn’t feel like attractions; we were walking through those areas anyway and there’s not a lot to comment on. That being said, the make-up in Dark Apocalypse was fantastic, and the scareactors in Nox Infernus worked brilliantly with the smoke effects.

The new season has begun at Camp Mass Acre! Following my visit to the infamous horror experience last year, I was buzzing with excitement. Is it worse when you know what’s coming? Or does nothing match the fear of having no clue what lies ahead? Judging by the disposition of a few members of our group, I’d go with the latter. As we converged in the Hawkshaw Farm car park, there was a palpable abundance of nervous energy, and it was infectious. Before we get started, I just want to point out that I won’t be revealing any specific details about what happened to us on our challenges. I would class that as spoiler-free, but others may disagree. If you don’t want to know anything about the event, I suggest you stop reading now. We trudged into the field, where our modest tents were arranged around a rather splendid roaring fire. Abraham Cleaver and Mrs Dybuk were the first characters we met, and they were in the middle of a row over land ownership. I honestly can’t praise these two enough; they’re funny, good at improvising, and work tirelessly throughout the evening to ensure the elements of comedy and horror are well balanced. And Abe’s toilet patrol never gets old. Our challenges this year were completely different to last year, and after having heard what some of the others went through, I think our team got off easy. The gaps between tasks did drag a little bit, and I would have liked the tasks themselves to incorporate some nastier/scarier elements. We had to proceed through a couple of existing mazes to get to some of our tasks, and it would’ve been great to see some scareactors in there, making the journey more frightening. Overall it was pretty light on the scares. However, when it comes to making you feel uncomfortable, the team have got that down to a fine art. The ‘Automata’ character was back, once again taking victims inside Manormortis for horrific one-to-one encounters, and I was pleased to see more people being picked on to do this. Having already had the privilege last year, I graciously offered up my friend in my place, who was less than thrilled. As the evening drew to a close and we retreated to our tent, I was absolutely exhausted. This being the end of May (and in England) it was chilly, and the rain wasn’t letting up. The previously resplendent fire was now a soggy pile of ash. Despite the cold, damp conditions, I quickly settled down and snuggled up in my sleeping bag, to the point where I was on the brink of a deep sleep (something I was unable to achieve last year). I hadn’t forgotten that they were coming for us, but to be honest, I had zero adrenaline and couldn’t muster any emotion on the subject. At that point, I heard a voice in the tent next to us: “Yes, it’s BB2 7JA. We’re at that horror camp thing, on a farm. Please come and get us!” I wondered how many other people were plotting their early escape. Just as I was drifting off, the happenings began. I’d forgotten just how surreal it is to come under attack when you feel safe and sealed up inside your tent. I was tired and grumpy, so their shenanigans were initially met with shouts of “NO! Go away!! LEAVE US ALONE!” as opposed to screams of terror. However, the ludicrousness of it all soon transformed the situation into a funny one, and before we knew it we were cracking up and enjoying every minute. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Horror Camp Live will do nothing for you if you’re going to take a back-seat. The more you get involved, the more fun you’ll have. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie, a scare fan, or someone who just want to try something a little bit different, you can’t go wrong with this experience. Expect the unexpected, don’t stand on ceremony, and please… try to resist the urge to call for rescue.

Cinemas are hugely important to me. Being sat in the dark, nothing in my line of sight apart from a huge screen, and surround sound that envelops me in the experience. No distractions, just the feeling of being completely immersed. That's why I’m so conscientious at the cinema - I have a very short fuse when it comes to people behaving badly in a screen, and thus I try to conduct myself with the same decorum that I expect from others. Quiet snacks are fine as long as they aren’t pungent. Loud snacks are OK as long as it’s a loud film, so I can meticulously time my crunches and rustlings with explosions or jump scares, and even then I’ve been known to freeze mid-crunch, waiting for the popcorn to soften and eventually dissipate to mush. Talking is an absolute no-no unless I'm politely asking others to be quiet, or impolitely shushing.   This cautious conduct is my behavioural default on every cinema visit, except for one film in particular. A film I go to see once a year. A cinema visit where I behave terribly on purpose, and openly revel in breaking every rule in my book. That film is The Room.   If you’re not familiar with The Room, I’ll reassure you that I’m not the only one behaving this way. Yelling, screaming, shouting, clapping, chanting and throwing things; these are all key components of a screening of The Room. Late night showings of this so-bad-it’s-good cult classic, usually hosted at independent cinemas and regional film clubs, truly have to be experienced to be believed. My venue of choice is the legendary Prince Charles Cinema in London, where The Room’s director & star - Tommy Wiseau - is usually in attendance.    You might be wondering what Tommy makes of all this revelry. His film is widely considered to be one of the worst films ever made, and he was recently crowned the winner of the ‘best-worst performances’ on the Prince Charles Cinema’s social media polls. Tommy is an enigmatic guy, but his attitude towards The Room seems fairly well documented, not least in the 2017 film The Disaster Artist, based on a book of the same name (written by Tommy’s co-star Greg Sestero) about the making of The Room. The film beautifully captures what a beloved figure Tommy is, and the significance of what he has inadvertently created for people. It may not be what he intended, but it’s a source of joy for many, and a hugely important part of programming for certain independent cinemas. Q&As with Tommy at the Prince Charles are always respectful; he’s treated with dignity and kindness by the audience. He’s cemented his place in film history, and then some.   The screenings themselves are obscenely fun. I have no doubt that my enduring effort to make zero noise under normal cinema circumstances is what makes The Room such a riotously joyful experience for me. It’s an immensely satisfying blend of catharsis and guilty pleasure; a kind of communal rowdiness akin to live music in a pantomime-style atmosphere. It creates a wonderful sense of community and camaraderie amongst fans. The audience interactions with the film are numerous and vary from country to country, and it's difficult to remember them all, but here are few of my absolute favourites:   The clap along The gratuitous and lengthy sex scenes are when many of us will take a toilet or bar break. There’s only so much belly button copulation one can bear to witness. For those that stay, the slow clap for the duration of the scene is a must. It’s really quite surreal and should be experienced at least once.   Because you’re a woman! Reserved for the most sexist lines of dialogue in the film, such as “he supports you, he provides for you, and darling, you can’t support yourself” to which we loudly retort “because you’re a woman!”   The count Random games of catch happen a lot in The Room. Throwing balls around the screen is an absolute no-no, so instead, we simply count each time a ball is thrown. It’s oddly exhilarating.   Meanwhile, in San Francisco We love an establishing shot. It repeatedly clarifies that, indeed, we have not yet left San Francisco. It also means we can shout this over and over again.   Spoons When I first attended a screening of The Room, I had no idea that people actually flung plastic spoons at the screen. This is born from the framed stock images on display in the apartment in The Room, which feature various pieces of cutlery. The moment they appear, a rousing chorus of “spoons!” echoes around the screen, accompanied by flurries of plastic spoons raining down all around you. I was keen to join in on my first visit, so I just grabbed the spoons that landed in my lap, but I quickly ran out as I was sat towards the back. The sweet spot is around the fourth row from the screen- the spoons are pretty much self-replenishing there.   Go! The Golden Gate Bridge is long. As the camera pans across it, chanting ‘GO’ at increasing speed and volume is an absolute must. We celebrate emphatically when we make it all the way across. Sadly, this doesn’t always happen.   Shut the door! This is one of my absolute favourites. In The Room, characters are constantly entering the apartment and leaving the door open behind them. The vehement urgency with which we scream “SHUT THE DOOR!” reaches hysterical levels. I always feel like the blood vessels in my face are bursting on this one.

Nestled away in a private marquee within Thorpe Park Resort, a stone's throw from the commotion of giddy teenagers and beneath the thundering Swarm rollercoaster, scare industry delegates gathered for ScareCON 2015. With a great line-up of speakers and a trade floor full to bursting with delectable horror fare, the day ahead looked very promising. And with a whole evening of entertainment planned as part of the ScareBall, needless to say I was ridiculously excited.   The atmosphere was lively as I arrived at registration; even more so on the trade floor. It was a great combination of geeking out and showing off, all in the nicest possible way. Make-up demonstrations were already underway, and various horror characters were striding casually through the crowd, including an impressive grim reaper on stilts. Outside on the private terrace, old friends were catching up in the sunshine. Before the talks begun I'd bumped into countless people I knew, some of whom I'd never met in person, but we greeted each other warmly and the phrase "it's great to finally meet you" kept popping up. For the most part, the sense of community is strong in the scare industry, and this was apparent throughout the day.     The first few talks were engaging and insightful. Unlocked Vision Entertainment discussed their scare maze 'Hidden House', and talked us though the challenges they faced in producing this event for a corporate client. Jason Karl from AtmosFEAR! Scare Entertainment then talked us through 'Labirinto', a permanent scare attraction they created in the heart of Lisbon. This was followed by a talk on 'Cracked', the survival experience I previewed earlier this year. My connections to the Cracked event made this one even more interesting for me. However, the team did assume a lot of prior knowledge from the audience, and could have been confusing for delegates who weren't aware of Cracked.    After a few refreshments the talks continued, the next segment leaning more towards a zombie theme. End of Days Events gave a great in-depth presentation with an exciting live zombie demo towards the end. This was dampened by a somewhat ill-conceived (yet arguably valid) question from an audience member (and lawyer) about how on earth the producers think they can "get away" with having their actors touch the guests, with only a disclaimer as legal protection. Some delegates were aghast, but the speaker addressed the question in very professional manner, albeit stating the obvious: it's what the customers want.    I only managed to catch a few more talks before I had to leave, as the timetable was running a little bit behind and I needed to get ready for the ScareBall. My first time doing sugar skull make-up meant I had to allow a window for fuck-ups. Thankfully, there were none. We made our way back into a deserted Thorpe Park for a very special live version of the scare maze 'Saw Alive'. It was great to see so many people in costumes queuing up to experience the attraction together. Which leads me to....    ...A very quick review of Saw Alive (Live)! This is a great little maze with a layout to please the Saw fans; it features one or two of the more underrated Jigsaw traps, including the carousel from Saw 6 (however I think the lighting needs to be addressed in that room because I could barely see it.) The maze has lots of opportunities to deliver good scares, and the actors were extremely energetic for us. In certain scenes they appeared to be restrained, but would occasionally break free and make a run for us, which was really effective. The costumes let it down a bit; one or two of the actors looked a little too clean for the environment they were supposed to be in. That aside, it was really good fun.    After our experience in Saw Alive, we made our way back to the marquee for the ScareBall. As I entered the room and saw the vast array of weird and wonderful costumes, I felt like I was at a huge Halloween party, which was a lovely feeling to have in June! We settled down to watch the SCARs (ScareCon Annual Recognition Awards), interspersed with live performances from The Circus of Horrors. The SCARs were probably the highlight of the day for me; it was a really positive experience, people were genuinely happy for each other and it was great to hear everyone loudly celebrating their nominations and successes. This was followed by more drinks, music, and dancing; I was feeling even more of the Halloween party vibe with some classic spooky tunes playing, including 'Thriller' of course. We're a predictable bunch.    As the evening drew to a close, we stumbled out into a darkened Thorpe Park and began the long process of saying our slurred goodbyes to each other. Hazy plans were being conceived about who was riding in whose car, and where the drinking may continue, and after a good deal of shouting people were still none the wiser. It felt like a wedding reception. We were sad that the event was over, but still buzzing from the revelation that ScareCON will actually be returning in November.    From beginning to end, ScareCON had something for everyone, and I would urge anyone with an interest in this industry to attend some or all of it. You're guaranteed to make some new friends, and if you're willing to listen to what people have to say, you'll learn a lot too. I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone involved in the organisation of ScareCON, and I look forward to seeing you all again very soon.

Scare attractions are becoming increasingly popular in the UK, and from that growth a number of more extreme events have emerged. The demand for more intense scares has increased, and physical elements, including simulated torture, have started to feature more and more. For many seasoned scare fans, events of this nature represent something fresh & different; an alternative to the traditional haunt, and a welcome addition to the scene. After all, those who are feeling a little desensitised would likely welcome a more hardcore option.   The latest attraction on the more extreme end of the scale… potentially the most extreme in the UK so far, is Cracked. Part elimination exercise, part psychological experiment, Cracked is described as a ‘survival experience’, and it looks set to take things to a whole new level. I was offered a unique opportunity to enter as a sort of guinea pig, giving a few of the challenges a trial run; essentially a shortened version of the full evening with previews of the other segments. This ended up being a solo adventure, as every other invited guest had chickened out. My experience lasted about three hours, and while I wasn’t able to participate in everything, I definitely got a taste (literally…) of the event, and a general idea of how it would feel from end to end for full participants. I'm sure you've all guessed this already- it’s not easy. Alongside the physical element, the team have created a striking aesthetic within the space. Dirt, grime, random objects, debris, and worrying apparatus. Everything I encountered made me question the situation; whether I was about to be tricked, lied to, or just abandoned. It was all very disorienting. I'm not sure whether I could do the whole thing. I was tired, uncomfortable, and bewildered towards the end. But then again, within a larger group it may be easier to muster the energy to power through. I guess that's for the participants to find out. For those who may have seen the picture already- yes, I did throw up. I won’t tell you why. Nor will I tell you why I wanted to shower so badly, or why I have a couple of bruises. All I will say is that certain components of this event went beyond what I was expecting. The content varies greatly throughout, and that variation is what threw me off at times. The whole thing put together will be an unforgettable experience. It will leave you reeling. It will completely reboot your system. The Cracked team have worked hard to prepare for this; everything has been rehearsed and organised for the first group’s arrival next week. But preparation aside, there’s still a presiding sense of unpredictability, which, for me, is what makes this so unique. No-one can be sure what lies ahead. How will people react? How long will they last? In some ways, this is uncharted territory in the UK. I can't wait to see what happens when the full groups begin their experience.

All-round awesomeness: What We Do in the Shadows From the ‘New Zealand Documentary Board’ comes What We Do in the Shadows, a mockumentary by Jermaine Clement, following the lives of three vampires who share a flat together. As (horror) comedies go, this is by far one of the best I’ve ever seen; the jokes just never stop coming! The characters in this film are so well written and comedy is nicely mixed; there are memorable one liners, character & situation comedy, and hilarious visual gags. The film cleverly links the characters to creatures in vampire folklore, so their personality traits are a result of their histories and backstories. The interaction between the characters is a joy to watch and the actors’ comic timing is spot on. One of the funniest films I’ve seen in a long, long time.   Scariest: It Follows I’m well aware that this hasn’t gotten a UK release yet so I won’t bang on about it too much. The concept is seriously disturbing: ‘it’ is a relentless, unstoppable force. It can appear in any form. It maintains pace and purpose, and no matter where you are, no matter what you’re doing, it will reach you. This chilling nightmare, played out in contrast to its setting (the roads and backyards of a tranquil suburb) haunts our protagonist Jay (Maika Monroe) who must overcome it by any means possible. The film plays with the common horror concept of punishing teens for having sex by turning it into a very literal scenario; one of the many horror genre conventions it plays with. Don’t miss out on this one.   Best cinema experience: The Babadook The Babadook was a sensational cinema experience, not just because of the scares (of which there were plenty), but because of the emotional story. Single mother Amelia’s personal journey through the film is mapped over her terrifying encounters with The Babadook, a monster which she thought to be a figment of her son’s imagination. She struggles with her grief, her increasing distress over her son’s hyperactive behaviour, and even a hint of resentment towards him. But as the film reaches the final act, her acceptance of loss enables her to connect with her son. It’s a gorgeous and compelling conclusion, which isn’t something you often get in the horror genre. It was beautiful and terrifying in equal measures.   My favourite: The Guest The Guest is the latest offering from director Adam Wingard, but unlike his horror debut You’re Next (which made it onto last year’s list!), The Guest isn’t really a horror film, strictly speaking. Instead, Wingard has created a brilliant genre pastiche of ‘80s action/thriller films, laced with the same black comedy as You’re Next and another strong, resourceful female character. In terms of performance, Dan Stevens steals the show with a searing depiction of the enigmatic ‘David’. The subtlety in this performance added to the mystery surrounding David’s intentions, which was really effective. With plenty of Halloween goodness, little references to You’re Next and a soundtrack you will literally never forget, The Guest is just perfect. And the final act is the best thing ever.   Celluloid Screams highlight: The Editor The latest sub-genre to receive the Astron-6 treatment is the Giallo film; the crude, over-sexed, violent and often nonsensical European horrors of the ‘70s and ‘80s. The Editor lovingly emulates and parodies these genre characteristics with authenticity and absolute comic genius. Little nods to popular Giallos, a hilarious & oh-so quotable script, and numerous visual gags made this one of my favourite films of the year. It took me twice the running time to get through it just from hitting rewind so many times. Astron-6 have always been onto a winner with their spot-on genre pastiche, but I think The Editor takes things a step further in terms of the characters and storyline; it comes into its own as a well constructed and engaging film. They’ve done themselves proud.   Biggest letdown: The Quiet Ones Following the success of the film adaptation of The Woman in Black, I had high hopes for The Quiet Ones, the next horror to emerge from Hammer. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The film drags itself across a number of dull, overly long sequences in a house, where an experiment is taking place on a young woman. The film sets itself up to tackle the science vs the paranormal debate but then quickly loses interest in that side of things. Instead, it treads a formulaic path which is parallel with (but not identical to) a run-of-the-mill possession film. A poor script, uninteresting characters with very unclear motivation and next to no tension, The Quiet Ones is lacking on many levels.

Horror Souk was a temporary installation of interactive theatrical shows, immersive multimedia and performance art pieces. It featured 8 shows in total, all with a horror theme. The event took place on The Moor in the centre of Sheffield, and ran from Halloween to late November. This was plenty of time for the word to spread, and hopefully for members of the public to give in to their curiosity; Horror Souk was located in the middle of the high street, inside what used to be a large shop. The glass façade gave passers-by a glimpse inside the space, hollowed out and decorated with graffiti, headless mannequins, bloody messages and eerie debris. The space inside had been totally transformed; seemingly every inch of the building had been utilised to create effective and dramatic performance spaces. Shows took place inside various rooms spread out over (at least) 3 floors. It would have been quite easy to get lost, but for me, that definitely added to the experience; corridors and were dimly lit in different colours, with many dark corners and passages for us to investigate (or avoid...) Exploration of the space felt like a big part of the event itself; you could lose your way, discover performers and wandering audience members, and enjoy the atmosphere. The individual shows were fresh, exciting, unpredictable and a little chaotic. The artists each brought something different to the table in terms of format and interpretation of the horror theme, but they all demonstrated a huge amount of talent, imagination, originality and flair. It was a joy to experience each dark vision being brought to life. I enjoyed all the shows, but special mention goes to the following: Did You Call The Police? This show was a devastatingly powerful performance piece made in response to the Rotherham child abuse scandal. It utilised total darkness and a distressing mixture of warped sounds, including sound-bites taken directly from the report, the shrill sound of a paper shredder, and an ominous, steady beat. Intimidating, frightening and provocative, the real impact of this show came at the end, when the lights were turned on to reveal a child’s bedroom scene. You, Me, and a Scary Story This solo experience was both haunting and thought-provoking. It focussed on the stories we create about the unknown; the way we fill in the gaps to make sense of the unexplained, and how we perceive mysterious events in our own minds. Most of this experience took place in total darkness, with an audio feed direct to the room, giving instructions and telling the story. I was encouraged to explore the space with a small torch, investigating the props and piecing a story together. It was very scary, and I can understand why others opted to leave before it was over. The Unit This show took place in the basement of the building, the story being that the abandoned space was up for sale, and we were potential buyers. This set up allowed the actors to work with the contents of the basement, such as the old storage units and trolleys, and to incorporate them into the concept. An unusual mix of dance and scare tactics which wouldn’t be out of place in a scare maze, The Unit was funny, frightening, and extremely entertaining.

Fear Forest was a temporary scare attraction for the 2014 Halloween season, running on 31st October & 1st November at Portland College in Mansfield. Created by GNG Entertainment Ltd, it featured 3 scare mazes, plus rides and stalls for guests to enjoy. Before we even got started with the individual scare attractions, I was thrilled to see some roaming scareactors. They looked great and really added to the spooky atmosphere, keeping the queue line entertained and scaring the little kids. I would like to see more of this at scare events; it’s a nice touch and a great way to set the tone for the evening. Creepy Cottage The first of the three attractions, Creepy Cottage, was designed with younger guests in mind. I don’t have kids so I’m speculating here, but I think this little maze would definitely have succeeded in giving youngsters a really fun, scary experience. A lot of the adults seemed quite frightened too! One or two great setpieces with individual scares, plus misdirection, jumps and spooky dialogue made up this fun walkthrough attraction, which took place partially on the ground floor of a house, with the remainder in the back garden (a great use of the space). This was perfect introduction to scare entertainment for younger thrill seekers! Scarytales Presented as a series of live action spooky stories, this was the highlight of the evening. Guests were taken on a journey which began through a wardrobe à la Narnia, into a sinister storybook world made up of various rooms with different characters and themes. Each segment was immensely enjoyable; we attended a tea party where we were offered rancid cake (it stank), we met Santa (he isn’t as jolly in real life), and encountered a life-size Jack-in-a-Box. The rooms in this attraction had an astounding level of detail. They were beautifully lit, and the actors inside were all superb. Unlike some scareactors I’ve interacted with this season, all of these stayed in character and were keen to engage us, making for a very theatrical experience. This was very narrative-based, and as with Creepy Cottage, it was designed for a wide age range, so overall it was light on the big scares. That being said, there were one or two amazing impact scares, one of which made a woman’s legs give way! Sometimes, watching someone suffer can be as good as getting a good scare yourself! The Fear Unlike the first 2 mazes, The Fear seemed to be aimed at guests who were a bit older, and was presented as being scariest of the evening. In terms of jump scares, it certainly was that! I got a great target scare. The maze was very heavy on the strobe but I was pleased to see one or two scene changes. One of these featured a row of bodies under bloody sheets, but sadly this scene fell flat as we spotted the scareactor before he/she had chance to do anything. The room was lit quite brightly which didn’t help. On two occasions we were a bit confused by the layout and had to be shown where to go. This seemed mainly down to the fact that some rooms had multiple doors, and the scareactors weren’t pursuing us or steering us in any particular direction. As we ventured further in, I noticed some writing scrawled all over the walls; sinister messages such as ‘she’s coming’, which was a great way to build up the tension. The end of the maze was a bit of an anti-climax, although I loved the sound towards the end, it was really unnerving and effective.

H311, produced by GNG Entertainment, was scare maze which ran for 4 nights in Barnsley. The central concept was that we were test subjects in a drug trial; H311 is drug which can eradicate fear, however, it has a terrible side effect- wild hallucinations occur if the subject hears dance music. At the start of the maze, we were promptly shown into the dispatch area, where the laboratory assistant explained what we were there for and what was going to happen. I really enjoyed this segment; the laboratory assistant was excellent and set the scene perfectly. We drank a small amount of H311, and stepped inside the maze… The beauty of this maze concept was that it allowed total freedom with characters and content. Think about it; a hallucination can consist of anything and everything. The possibilities are endless. Therefore, we would have accepted what was going on regardless of what we saw. The only thing we were meant to believe is that none of it was real. This was a great opportunity to throw loads of random stuff together, and believe me they did! We encountered all sorts of madness. Scary clowns, dancers, a creepy old lady with a zimmer frame who really wanted us to try some of her rancid food (it looked and smelt VILE- really effective). She wouldn’t let us leave! Oh, and there was a coconut shy. Obviously. One thing that really gelled the insanity together was the dance music, which simultaneously reinforced the concept and reminded us that we were ‘hallucinating’. It merged seamlessly with the bonkers visuals, the darkened walkways and the strobe lights, adding to the sense of fun and generally enhancing the experience. Scare wise, we got a few good impact scares. One scene towards the end of the maze worked perfectly because it was impossible to predict where the scare was going to come from; our attention was drawn to the spinning vortex tunnel ahead of us, making the scare from the side even more effective. The random mix of characters and scenes worked well, not only as a way to reinforce the trippy vibe of the maze, but also to create a sense of unease because there was no way to predict what we might encounter next. A little imagination with the concept went a long way with this attraction. The H311 drug trial was a brilliantly unpredictable, disorienting and unique experience. I’m so disappointed that the side effect has now worn off.

Live action zombie games are becoming increasingly popular, and there’s a growing number of these experiences available in the UK. 2.8 Hours Later, the citywide zombie chase, is one of the biggest. I’d never played one of these before, and with the game coming to Sheffield this year, it was pretty much a given that I’d be trying it out. There have been several different versions of 2.8 Hours Later in the past few years, meaning those who have played before will get a different storyline and objective to their previous game. 2.8 Hours Later: Survival is the latest chapter in the story of the zombie apocalypse. Our mission was simple: retrieve a bottle of water from Safe City and bring it back, ensuring our water carrier does not become infected, thus infecting the water. We were given a map and our first set of co-ordinates, which would bring us to our next set, and so on until we reached our final destination. With zombies at almost every turn, we knew it wouldn’t be easy, but we were up for the challenge. I’ll be honest- I wasn't really sure what to make of this event at first. I usually get nervous when I'm trying out a new scare attraction because I don’t know what to expect, but this time I wasn't scared going in; just concerned about all the running we’d be doing! It wasn’t until we received our brief from The Commander that this started to feel like a scare event, and from that point on, it got pretty exciting. The Commander was a very convincing character and the briefing room contained some great pieces of theming, such as spray painted banners, maps and technical equipment. This was a near perfect dispatch into the game environment. Unfortunately, the tension levels dropped off a little when we reached our first point on the map, as there were several teams backed up waiting to access the computer which gave the next set of co-ordinates. This happened a couple of times over the course of the evening; we had to wait with the steward until we were given the instruction to proceed. One way improve this would be to use actors in these positions. They could remain in character and interact with us, helping to move the story forward and keep our heads in the game. Although I don’t doubt that this would be quite difficult to achieve. Alongside the zombies, there were a few ‘human’ characters dotted around. These were fun to interact with, given the fact that we were unsure of who we could trust! Some gave us instructions, others just tried to confuse us. All the performances were excellent, and I was really impressed by our first character encounter; a somewhat gruesome scene which featured a woman who had been bitten, and her friend begging us for help. Needless to say, we hurried along. There were a couple of indoor environments as part of the game, and the theming inside was OK, but I was hoping for a bit more than just flashing lights. The outdoor theming was limited because the game zone is so large, but there were a few signs along the way which linked back to the task. At one point we found ourselves at the Safe City perimeter fence, which had a hole in it for us to squeeze through. There were warning signs and some emergency lighting at the border, but once we got through the fence it was almost completely dark. It was tense… even more so when we spotted several zombies shuffling around in the shadows. This was easily the most effective and scary segment for me. The zombies were all fantastic, they did such a great job. Their movements were really unsettling; sometimes they were just twitching and lurching towards us, sometimes they would break into a run. Some groaned, some made terrifying screeching noises. I had underestimated how scary it would be to have one chasing me- it’s really quite unpleasant! At one point we were well and truly ambushed. Several members of our team were tagged (including me!), marked, and later scanned to see if we were infected. We were. But fortunately, our water carrier remained uninfected. Mission accomplished! Overall, 2.8 Hours Later: Survival was an amazing experience, filled with tension, excitement, and moments of genuine panic! The addition of a few more challenges, solo games or dares would have taken the fear factor to the next level for me, but the game alone is still an effective format. It’s an extremely well executed event, and the chase element ensures that even the bravest players will be panicked once the zombies are in pursuit! This is intense, adrenaline fuelled scare entertainment; it’s physical and exhausting, but also a huge amount of fun. If you’re considering going for this then believe me, it will be worth it. But as with most scare entertainment, you more involved you get, the more fun you’ll have. So get pumped, get into character and get ready to run for your life. Will you survive? There's only one way to find out!

There are loads of people who've heard of Horror Camp Live and are really curious about it, despite the fact that they’ll probably never do it because it's not really their thing. The loud, crude, hands-on nature of the experience means there’s a probably fair number of people who are into that stuff, yet still wouldn’t want to do it. And I don’t blame them. This isn't your average scare event. And while I wish I could spill all the gory details, I must keep this review spoiler-free, because there’s another group of people who are probably reading this: the scare junkies, the hardcore horror lovers, and those who give zero fucks. In other words, the people who might actually go. Before our steady descent into madness, the evening started out relatively civilised. We had a bite to eat and watched a film. The unsettling character ‘Lockjaw’ had addressed the group early on so there was a slight sense of unease; I even received a text message informing me that I was being watched. After the film we were divided into groups and given our instructions: each group would complete three tasks each, and the successful completion of each task would bring us closer to solving Lockjaw’s puzzle. I was a bit disappointed with the way the teams were assembled; we were divided up according to where we were sitting, which meant that all groups of friends remained together. I think I’d have preferred a little randomisation to mix things up. The tasks themselves were completely and utterly surreal. I don’t mind saying that some of it was rather unpleasant, but successful in pushing us way out of our comfort zones, which is kind of the point. We had to interact with different characters and explore different areas of the camp. We found ourselves in situations where we had absolutely no idea what was going to happen to us. Looks of disbelief were exchanged, and in one case, the safe word was used. Simple details made the scenarios so much more immersive; for example, having a hood placed over my head made me feel disoriented and therefore completely at their mercy, which in turn added to the sense of danger. The time between tasks was a mixture of games and entertainment with our hosts Incesta Cleaver & Mrs Dybuk. They did a fantastic job of keeping energy levels high and making us feel engaged. We were also introduced to ’Automata’, a living Victorian automaton, who would randomly take people away for a horrific one-to-one encounter. I found this character extremely disturbing, and my encounter with Automata gave me my best scare of the night by far. Aside from Automata, there wasn't really much scare activity between the tasks, which was a bit of a shame. One or two more scares would have mixed well with the laughs. The finale saw us plunged into total darkness for the revelation of the answer we’d somehow reached, despite failing two tasks. It was horribly tense. We were certain that we’d won Lockjaw’s game, and later evidence to the contrary had us completely baffled! Following a narrow escape, we retreated to our tents and were confronted with a horrifying truth: there was more to come. What ensued was a lengthy struggle to get any sleep, as the actors unleashed some hilarious scare tactics on us while we thought we were safe inside our tents. Without giving too much away, there was one character which I was extremely disappointed not to have seen more of, but aside from that it was a brilliant end to the night. Overall, Horror Camp Live has something for everyone and it’s an unforgettable event to take part in. Taking part really is key; the more you get involved, the more fun you’ll have. Get stuck in, interact, play along and don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself along the way. Make no mistake- Horror Camp Live is outrageous, but not without a sense of humour. If that sums up your attitude, you’ll fit right in. I’d like to say a huge thank you to Mark Lofthouse for a fascinating behind the scenes tour of Manormortis, where part of Horror Camp Live is set this year. The attention to detail within is astounding, as is the overall creative design and conceptual theming. These qualities reflect real dedication to the guests’ experience, and I can’t wait to see what happens with Manormortis in the future.

Saw is one of my favourite films (and indeed franchises); I can hardly believe it’s been almost ten years since it first hit UK screens. The box office success of Saw set it firmly on course for a string of sequels, and the arrival of ‘SAW - The Ride’ at Thorpe Park shifted the franchise into a perfect Venn diagram of my own passions and obsessions. The first Saw film holds up as an intelligent thriller, delivering acute tension, violence, and an exciting twist-laden story. The concept was fresh and suitably distressing, and it got people talking, like a ghastly game of ‘would you rather.’ However, as the sequels rolled in, there was a definite shift. As much as I continue to revel in the relentless viscera, the traps were gradually evolving into disjointed setpieces while narrative coherence and character development deteriorated. The franchise, rightly or wrongly, was firmly planted in the torture porn timeline of the mid-to-late aughts. This pejorative definition was essentially a broad implication of a lack or nuance and metaphor in the films branded as such, and while I’d hesitate to apply this term to the Saw franchise (especially given the term’s connotations with out-out-touch critics and mainstream media hand-wringing), I will admit that the franchise’s thrills are largely superficial. Despite all this, Saw will always hold a special place in my heart; from the whiskey-fuelled allnighters to the hilariously hokey final ‘reveal’ edits, there is much fun to be had. Ultimately, the traps are what define Saw; their promise of new ways to torture and kill via their grotesque mechanical cruelty is what kept me going back for more with every passing sequel. And so, with this in mind, I present to you the countdown of my top 10 Saw traps, in order of course. Needless to say, there are a few spoilers in here!   10 - The Freezer Room Saw 3 In this basic trap, the victim is chained up naked inside a walk-in freezer, and her body is intermittently sprayed with ice cold water until she freezes to death. Why it's awesome: This trap is simple but pretty intense. The victim is weak and sobbing, and the drama is ramped up with each with spray of freezing ice water and every desperate scream. It’s chilling to watch (sorry… except no I’m not). Incidentally, this trap is actually someone else’s test. Despite her apparent wrongdoing, there is nothing for the victim to subject herself to in order to free herself; the test is for the lead character, Jeff. His challenge is whether he can bring himself to save her and hurt his face a little bit, despite the fact that she witnessed the car accident which killed his son and refused to testify in court.   9 - The Carousel Saw 6 In this trap, six victims are tied down to rotating roundabout inside a large cage. The roundabout turns slowly but stops repeatedly so that each victim has to face a shotgun which points towards the roundabout. The idea here is that they are shot one by one as the shotgun is wired to go off automatically, unless their boss chooses to save them by pressing a button (which simultaneously causes his hand to be pierced by a metal spike). He only has the option to save 2 of the 6. Why it's awesome: This one makes me laugh out loud, hence being in my top ten. The victims (again, who are not actually being tested) immediately turn on each other and begin lying in order to save themselves, and that’s kind of funny to watch. The best part is the way the final victim screams his parting lines: “You motherfucker! You spineless, pussywhipped motherfucker!”. I also really like the morbid fairground music that plays as the carousel slowly turns.   8 - The Bedroom Trap Saw 4 The victim is strapped to the bed, his limbs secured in restraints. He has sixty seconds to make his choice: either press two buttons which will drive two sharp blades into each of his eyeballs, or do nothing and have his limbs ripped away from his torso via a machine with some impressive looking cogs. Why it's awesome: This one is seven shades of grim. Ivan is guilty of murdering, raping, and abusing several women, and the scene offers up a grisly sense of satisfaction in seeing him suffer. It really gathers pace with Ivan’s gradual realisation of his fate, culminating in his failure to press the second button. This trap also succeeds in testing Rigg and Ivan simultaneously- Rigg has the choice of whether or not to force him into the trap, and Ivan can choose to live or die.   7 - The Coffin Trap Saw 5 Strahm finds himself locked in a room and is informed via audio tape that he has a chance of survival if he enters an ominous glass coffin before him. Believing this to be a trap set by Hoffman, he chooses not to, and instead he waits for Hoffman to enter the room then wrestles him into the coffin. Hoffman plays along and feigns distress, but Strahm quickly realises that he has sealed his own fate; the coffin descends to safety and Strahm is caught between two walls sliding together, crushing him to death. Why it's awesome: This is a trap with a twist; Strahm’s realisation and panic plays out in real time with the revelation to the audience, signalled by the customary Saw theme music. Strahm is confronted by the consequences of his misplaced confidence when he plays the rest of the tape and discovers the truth: he is about to die an excruciatingly painful death. The gore detail on Strahm’s disappearing body is really well done; his bones snap and his blood spills onto the surface of the glass coffin below, where a smug Hoffman can observe and savour his victory. We also get a good shot of his mangled corpse at the end.   6 - The Blood Sacrifice Saw 5 The last two victims of ‘The Fatal Five’ find themselves in a room which contains a large tank, with holes down one side and circular saws within. There are channels running into a beaker in the middle of the tank, which must be filled with 10 pints of blood in order to activate the mechanism which opens the door (and saves them from a bunch of nail bombs). They must place their arms inside and allow the blades to rip into them, spilling enough blood to free them. Why it's awesome: This is another trap which delivers a clever twist: the last 2 victims realise that they were supposed to work together as a group from the beginning, hence why there are 5 holes in the tank. We’re teased with a couple of false starts before the victims finally go all the way and slide their hands into contact with the spinning blade, which slices neatly between their interdigital folds. They succeed and the door opens, and there’s a truly horrific shot of a deformed, dripping arm split lengthways.   5 - Eyes Sewn Shut Saw 4 By the time Saw 4 was released, Saw fans had grown accustomed to the tradition of each Saw film opening with a shocking and nasty trap to get the ball rolling. Saw 4 is no exception; in fact, I think this is the strongest opening trap of the entire franchise. Two victims chained to a rotating drum, one with his eyes sewn shut, the other with his mouth sewn shut. The chain begins to pull the victims closer to the machine but they are unable to communicate in order to solve the puzzle (the solution being a key attached to the back of the blind man’s collar). Why it's awesome: The sight of the two men with stiches in their faces is pretty grotesque and their panic is harrowing to watch. As the lips-sewn-shut guy attempts to retrieve the key, eyes-sewn-shut guys misinterprets this as an attack, and a brutal fight ensues with the weapons which are placed in the room (a great addition of extra gore detail to this scene). It’s really tense and not too elaborate, and has a great climax as lips-sewn-shut guys rips apart his stitches to scream.   4 - The Needle Pit Saw 2 The trap consists of a pit filled with syringes, with a key attached to a glow stick hidden amongst them. The key is required to unlock the door and ensure the group’s survival, and there’s a sixty second time limit for retrieval. Why it's awesome: What makes this worse to watch is the fact that this trap was never intended for Amanda. It was meant for Xavier, who pushes Amanda in at the last minute. Just the thought of several needles puncturing you at once is horrendous, and as Amanda crawls through the sea of spikes we can see the needles protruding from her bleeding flesh. What really gets me is when she really starts to go for it; frantically digging through the needles and screaming hysterically. That and the removal of the wedged needles once she is dragged out. And to add insult to injury, the key is retrieved but then dropped before as the timer runs out, and they fail the task.   3 - The Pig Vat Saw 3 This trap involves several festering pig corpses being blended up to mulch, one by one, and poured into a giant container with a man strapped to the bottom, the idea being that he will eventually drown in the putrid, grey, liquidised dead pig juice. Why it's awesome: This should be clear given the above description, but if you’re not on my wavelength then I’ll explain: this trap is outrageously disgusting in the best possible way. The utter degradation of this trap is one thing, but then add to that the fact that we see the pig juice going INTO HIS MOUTH. It’s unapologetically sickening and vulgar, it’s grim and super fun to watch. Plus it’s a nice little nod back to the pig masks. This is another test for Jeff; in order to free the victim (the judge who sentenced his son’s killer) he must burn all of his son’s toys in an incinerator, leaving only the key that was hidden amongst them.   2 - The Rack Saw 3 No mercy here; this trap is completely and utterly brutal. The victim’s limbs are secured with spikes, and each section of the rack begins to rotate until his bones fracture and burst through his skin. This is followed by the head twisting until the neck snaps. Why it's awesome: I love the growing intensity of this scene; it steadily gets worse as the limbs are twisted one at a time and there’s close-up detail of the protruding bones. The grinding sound of the machine is drowned out by the victim’s screams of pain and occasional cracking/snapping sounds. There is sense that there is literally no other way that this machine could be stopped; it’s big, loud and very metal. Unfortunately there is nothing the victim can do; this is another test is for Jeff, the challenge this time being whether he can bring himself to save the Timothy (the victim) despite the fact that he accidentally killed Jeff’s son in a car accident.   1 - The Bathroom Trap Saw This is the big one; the trap around which an entire story develops. Saw off your own foot and crawl to freedom, or be imprisoned forever in darkness. Uncomplicated and unforgiving in its methods, this trap is the one we all remember and love. Why it's awesome: This is where the franchise began, and this trap is the Saw centrepiece. I love the additional challenge put in place by Jigsaw: Lawrence has to kill Adam before 6am, otherwise his family will be killed, and Adam must escape before 6am. Each character risks being locked inside the bathroom forever if they fail the task, and has his own struggle and motive in a race against time for survival. The film reaches a gruesome, thrilling crescendo with Lawrence sawing through his own flesh and bone to escape. Beneath the layers of backstory which surround this trap is a huge twist, and despite so many repeat viewings, I still love to watch this unfold at the end.