PhoboPhobia!
Post date: Oct 29, 2013 12:45:02 PM
Well, we're three nights into our eight night booking as part of PhoboPhobia and The London Bridge Experience. TLBE markets itself as "London's Scariest Attraction", and PhoboPhobia is their extra-scary Hallowe'en show, so it's not for the faint-hearted!
I've been posting my own Facebook update each morning, and rather than write a separate blog here I will copy those in, just to give you a taste of what's happening.
Posted 27 October
Spent last night in the gloom surrounded by screams, rattling chains, air cannons, chain saws, and blood-spattered lunatics.
Posted 28 October
Last night I was standing in a dimly lit study, leaning against a book-case, with a bearded dragon on my shoulder, a seven-inch millipede in my left hand and an albino Royal python around my right wrist.
As one couple passed me the woman said to her partner "Are they real?"
I spoke: "Oh yes, they're real!"
"****!" swore her partner. "The person's real as well!"
Posted 29 October
A rather "quiet" evening last night. I was working in the study again, but had very few people through who were scared of the reptiles (although the millipede caused a few shudders), and no-one demanded to be let out at the first section (the night before there were four couple who refused to go through the first corridor, despite having bought tickets for "London's Scariest Attraction".
So who w...as scared the most? Was it the group of seven or eight lads in their twenties who med my lizards and millipede, and then, as they were moving on, screamed like girls when I lifted a shed snake skin from the bureau and said "Oh, I appear to have lost my snake!" Or was it me, when the Welcomer (a permanent staff member) explained to me that we were in the most haunted part of the building, and told me a couple of tales, then said "Anyway, I need to go and pick up the next group" - and left me, alone in the dim red lamplight, with just a rather mysterious dummy and a backing tape of gurgles, screams, and ghostly voices?
Posted 30 October
Once in a while it happens .... We had one of our toy furry snakes suspended from the exit to our working area, and last night it "walked" after a large group passed through. We told the nearest performers, and word got back to the exit point to keep an eye out for it, but it wasn't found.
Word also got back to the Top Man (who is somewhat afraid of reptiles) that one of the snakes had gone missing....
Posted 31 October
Since the lizards and millipedes appear to like me best (Emma's hand is still purple from working with the millies on Saturday), I'm going to be in the study for the rest of the week.
Last night my "Welcomer", Alice found a new "scare". Having called the group to come and play she ran ahead into the darkness, leaving the group to meet me. Once people had had their fill of my reptiles, and were feeling more confident (oh, it's not so scary; I can handle this) I directed them along a pitch black corridor, telling them that Alice needed new playmates. Except she wasn't at the end of the corridor, she was half-way down - but despite her pale skin, long red hair and white nightgown, they couldn't see her until they were six inches away.
If you can get people screaming before they've even started the trip, you're doing it right!
Posted 1 November
Well, last night was the big one! Advanced sales were closed at 1,300 people, and there were walk-ins as well.
A long, tiring, hot evening - that I'd do again without hesitation! For Hallowe'en I added a hooded black cloak, and stayed motionless while my Welcomer gave her greetings, then lifted my arms to show the giant millipede and Royal python in my hands ..... Some great reactions!
Posted 2 November
I can normally tell our two millipedes apart quite easily; Kilo is grumpy and stays tightly coiled when you pick him up, while Millie is friendly and wanders around. Except last night, when I went to pick one up for handling, both were out and about. After 40 minutes or so I thought I might have the wrong one - the fact that he was trying to nibble the back of my hand was a bit of a giveaway - but it was well over an hour before I knew for sure, and I have a couple of small purplish stains on my hand from his secretions to prove it.
A lovely night - loads of people touching a snake for the first time and finding it really wasn't as expected - and one lovely lady telling me "You have the coolest job ever!" Yes, I do - except that it isn't actually my job (that's something else entirely) - but I really wish it was!
Posted 3 November
So sad that last night was my last at PhoboPhobia at The London Bridge Experience - although it will be nice to get some sleep!
Over the last eight nights I've heard a lot of screaming, a fair bit of moderate swearing, frequent shouts of "No, I'm not going in there! You go first!", and many weird noises from the actors, but last night topped it all.
A group of four, I would say in their early forties, were brought in by the Welcomer. They had a short, confident encounter with the animals, and were then sent into the pitch blackness. I heard a few gasps but no screams as they made their way down the corridor and encountered some surprises, then the squeal of brakes, crashing sounds and a flash of light as "the train" came out of the darkness and stopped a few inches away from them. Then a male voice .... "Bloody train drivers!"
After word
An amazing experience! I've been desperately short of sleep, but I would not have missed it for the world! I've met so many people who've said "I can't do snakes!" and then found that they could, and actually rather liked them; so many who've said "I've always wanted to touch a snake" and had the chance to do so. I've met so many talented and - let's face it - twisted actors, and been welcomed as part of the family (I'm not sure what that says about me ....). It has been a privilege.
Can I do it again next year please?
Jane