Can a theatre performance be classed as a haunted attraction?
We suppose the answer is yes, and no. Yes, because both employ actors, sound, lighting effects and stage sets to create an atmosphere of unease, disorientation and horror. No, because in a haunted attraction the audience play a much more central role, and the level of interaction is much higher. Ghost Stories at the Duke of Yorks in the West End gets closer than ever to recreating that haunted maze effect. From the moment the audience enters the theatre they are immersed in theming which really sets the tone of what is to come. Even a trip to the loo was quite unnerving as it required going down blood-stained corridors, dimly lit with flckering candles with the sound of wind whistling around your ears. Once in the auditorium itself, the usual west end glitter has been replaced with police cordons, more flickering lights and numbers chalked on the walls. And then the show begins…no gentle dimming of lights, and a polite ripple of applause, but a sudden blackout accompanied by loud, frea
