Goosebumps Alive: Review and Backstage Tour

As you might have seen if you follow me on Instagram, I recently attended a special event with Yelp in The Waterloo Vaults.  The event mixed nostalgia with amazing effects, set pieces and live performers to make a night I won’t be forgetting in a hurry!

Goosebumps Alive takes on the challenge of recreating some of the things we loved about the original Goosebumps books and TV series that are so well loved by many of us and presenting them in a new and original way.

The setting of The Vaults is perfect for this performance/maze as you wind you way through the various rooms and corridors!  There are 4 different story lines here so the repeatability factor of this attraction is high.  Once you are put with your group you will be transported to different rooms, each telling a different story inspired by a Goosebumps classic.

What struck me the most about this attraction was the costume, set design and impressiveness. Frankly it’s stunning!  Each room has been transformed into something completely new, where no detail is too small.  You are completely transported along with the sites, sounds and actions. Suddenly, you will find yourself in the middle of the action, being accosted by a giant bigger than you’ve ever seen, or having a rather interesting intimate experience in a lift, or in the middle of a tent based horror…

We were lucky enough to be invited to a backstage tour after we were done with our respective shows, and it was fascinating to get a peek ‘behind the curtain’.   The timing and precision of the movement between the complex labyrinth or rooms, actors, set up and scenery, was almost unbelievable and unlike anything I’ve ever seen.  Especially when I found out there were up to 22 performances a day.  As an ex-technical theatre professional, I was beyond impressed at how smooth everything ran!  It really helped keep you in ‘the zone’.

It’s really hard to talk about this performance without giving stuff away, but you really must go and see it for yourself before it closes on the 5th of June, it’s an experience you won’t be forgetting anytime soon! Be prepared for the unexpected in every sense…