York Dungeon Bring The Chills This Halloween!
York Dungeon – the self proclaimed “Home Of Halloween” are set to bring the chills this Halloween with a gripping new show centered around an infamous local serial killer.
The Black Widow – a show centered around a character named Mary showcases an infamous female serial killer renown for killing off her husbands by putting arsenic in their tea.
The new show takes the place of the current ghost show (the fourth show on your tour) and is set to open to the public this Saturday October 12th, however this Tuesday we were lucky enough to be invited along to the press preview evening and it’s safe to say it certainly didn’t disappoint.
What Can You Expect?
The chilling new Halloween show places the audience at the center of Mary’s home as she tends to her ‘sick’ husband.
Proclaiming her innocence Mary divulges the local ‘hearsay’ making the rounds regarding her frequent bad luck when it comes to finding wedded bliss.
The show features two character actors – a central female role with Mary and an accompanying male role for her husband.
Throughout the performance (which lasts around five minutes in total) the audience is frequently lead into a false sense of security and ease before having it turned on them combining a mix of well timed lighting drops, special effects and audio to shock, wow and chill those watching.
Casting seems to have been well considered here too as those playing the roles captivate and embody their parts perfectly bringing a real sense of authenticity to the story being told.
The show culminates in a very somber, audio based finale however as we find out the fate of Mary following her discovery of the crimes she had been committing.
Telling A Story York Dungeon Style!
The Black Widow feels very different to any other show currently featuring at the York Dungeon.
This is down to the story telling methods employed, the atmosphere the show creates and the real sense of unease felt among those watching.
The show set is very well thought out too. Given the period of the story being told, the redressed ghost show set features a real Victorian feel with an iron stove, washing hung and an overall period aesthetic.
Mary’s delivery also has those watching gripped and unnerved from beginning to end too with a few well placed jump scares adding a further depth of sinister to the overall proceedings.
The husband’s performance felt authentic too as you could really believe he was ill and dying as was intended to be the case.
Ultimately though the success of this show is down to the cast and the story writer behind it Oliver Mortimer who has created something truly chilling to help mark the season of All Hallows Eve.
Should I Go Check I Out?
So, should you brave an encounter with The Black Widow this Halloween season? Absolutely!
The new show brings something completely new to the usual, comedy based line up sporting a much darker, more sinister feel and compliments the overall tour of York Dungeon perfectly.
The Black Widow definitely feels very much on par with the likes of Curse of the Witch too with regards to it’s impact and lasting impression on those watching overall.
The darker tone mixed with the real sense of unease it creates also means the show relies far less on the use of special effects to deliver the chill factor.
Ultimately, The Black Widow is a refreshing take on your traditional York Dungeon seasonal show and is an absolute must for fans of the attraction this Halloween.
As mentioned previously the new show kicks off to the general public this Saturday and will run daily as part of your general admission all the way through until Sunday November 3rd.
The new show will also features as pat of York Dungeon’s lates line up too. Book now to avoid missing out and see if you have what it takes to survive The Black Widow this Halloween!