It’s just as creepy behind the scenes at London Dungeons, as Mirror writer Nia Dalton discovered spending a day in the life of a scare actor – from makeover magic to the big performance on stage
Walking through the backstage corridors at London Dungeons, I try my hardest to keep my cool – but it’s pretty hard. The dark walls, low ceilings and winding passages all look the same, and it’s surprisingly just as creepy behind the scenes. “Everyone gets lost,” my tour guide Harry Butterwick tells me, though I’m not surprised – even with the lights dimly lit, the eerie atmosphere is still prominent.
“It’s important we keep the magic alive,” Harry adds, reminding me that the building has a history of whispering ghosts and real-life haunted tales. I’ve been invited to spend a day in the life of a scare actor and experience everything the role involves, from a full makeover to 1-1 training and a big performance. I left my drama days in school and I don’t have a scary bone in my 5’1 body, but Halloween is all about stepping outside of your comfort zone.
It’s early morning and the actors are just filing in to start their shifts – though you’d never recognise them in casual clothes and friendly faces.
The walls are decked out with skulls, ancient maps, imitation weapons and life-sized mannequins that I keep mistaking for real people.