Twisted Attractions Hellfest was easily one of my highlights of the 2015 season. One can’t easily forget being trapped in a furnace, after all! So when Twisted announced their return this summer, with Dr Hades Fear Theatre and Coulrophobia, my interest was certainly peaked!
I was intrigued to see how the team would adapt the circus theme with Coulrophobia, as they often favour the more macabre. Whereas I literally had no idea what to expect with Dr Hades Fear Theatre, as the whole thing had been shrouded in mystery since its announcement. At just £15 for both attractions combined, I booked my tickets and headed up to see my Twisted family in Birmingham.
Coulrophobia – Theming a scare attraction around clowns, can be tricky to pull off well. The haunt needs to be lively, fun and full of colour to succeed, which is by no means an easy feat. For their off season summer attraction, Twisted decided to tackle this challenging theme with Coulrophobia.
Coulrophobia takes the location of 2015’s Panic Unlocked. The lair of Panic’s manic serial killer has been drastically transformed. In its place, a nightmarish industrial carnival has arisen. It takes a rather unique spin on the clown formula, staying true to Twisted’s strengths with gritty theming. Whilst the attraction is full of all the colour you’d expect, it’s certainly got a darker edge to it.
The actors fully utilise this sinister tone, acting far more menacing and unhinged than your typical clown. As you’d expect from a Twisted attraction, there’s a great variety of characters inside, each as lively as each other. It’s certainly a very jumpy attraction, with some actors getting pretty hands on at points. There’s no doubt about it, this is probably one of the most intense circus attractions I have visited.
This is certainly in part due to the impressive design work, which has gone into the attraction. Twisted have long been masters of deception, finding well thought out hiding spaces for their actors to lurch out from. Their creativity is truly impressive, and it shows in the impressive range of scenes present within Coulrophobia. One moment you’re being pushed down a slide, the next you’re attempting to traverse a corridor full of colourful lasers. It’s all out fun, there’s no other way to describe it.
So yes, Twisted managed to pull it off. Coulrophobia is a highly enjoyable attraction. It manages to be lively, fun and full of colour whilst maintaining Twisted’s unique style.
Dr Hades Fear Theatre – There really isn’t anything like Dr Hades Fear Theatre out there. It’s a totally unique, theatrical scare attraction. This isn’t a walkthrough; it’s a complete theatrical production, where the audience takes centre stage. Throughout the show, the nefarious Dr Hades, will be using you as his own personal guinea pigs to test the limits of fear.
The plot is very strong, and has some surprising twists and turns throughout. I found it to be easy to follow, yet still gripping. The pacing was on point and offered some great build up of tension. This was helped with some stunning acting coming from the Dr and his assistant, both of whom were suitably eerie.
You’ll find the Actors in Dr Hades use their space very well. Interactive doesn’t even cover it. You, the audience, play a major role in the production. Often the actors will invade your personal space and create some seriously uneasy moments. Alongside this, there’s a great range of special effects at play in the fear theatre. Quite often you’ll be caught totally off guard by these effects. It’s a highly technological attraction and to think everything has been developed in house is outstanding.
The Theatre itself is visually eye-catching, combining inspiration from gothic and steampunk design. You’re be sat in tight, claustrophobic pews, surrounded by imposing portraits of the doctors’ deceased relatives. Sounds terrifying right? That’s not even covering the stage, which is also intricately designed and hides many deranged secrets itself.
It’s nice to see thought has been put into immersing the audience to such a degree. I genuinely got London Dungeons vibes from Dr Hades Fear Theatre. It shares the theatricality whilst offering up a couple of laughs. There’s no doubt about it, this is one of the most enjoyable creations from the Twisted team yet! I will certainly be the first in line when Dr Hades returns this Halloween.
Are Coulrophobia & Dr Hades Fear Theatre Worth Visiting?
Positives
+ Lively Actors
+ Dr Hades is Totally Unique
+ Two Extremely Fun Attractions
+ Technologically Advanced Scares
Negatives
– The Run Has Ended
Unfortunately, Coulrophobia and Dr Hades have closed their doors in preperation for Halloween. Fret not, Dr Hades will be returning for Twisted Attraction’s Scream Nights in Stafford. In my opinion it’s a completley original attraction, which shouldn’t be missed. It offers plenty of scares, but presents them in unexpected ways. If you’re a fan of the Dungeons attractions or love horror theatre, this is certainly worth a visit.
Coulrophobia is currently closed, but Dr Hades Fear Theatre will return at Twisted Attractions Terror Farm, which is in operation on the 21st and 22nd of October, followed by a solid run from the 24th to the 31st before ending with two nights on the 4th and 5th of November at Lower Drayton Farm near Stafford.
Tickets are not yet on sale, but are expected soon.
https://www.twistedattractions.co.uk/attractions/halloween-scream-nights
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