 SCREAM
Things
are shaking up over at Madame Tussauds. Seems they’re
going all-out with being interactive – this time, other than
the very lifelike wax figures of celebrities that they’re
known for, they’ve now added a human element to the mix. All
this is part of “Scream,” the latest interactive display
to hit Madame Tussauds Las Vegas.
Conceived by
the (somewhat) twisted minds of a few Madame Tussauds staff, both
here and abroad, Scream came about after the company’s partnership
agreement with New Line Cinema came to an end. (This collaboration
brought in Freddy Krueger of A Nightmare on Elm Street; Jason of
Friday the 13th series and Leatherface of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.)
While Scream
is the third incarnation of the “scare attraction,”
(the first one being “Monsters Live!” followed by “Chamber
of Horrors Live”) it is the first time that the characters
and figures used are exclusive to Madame Tussauds. In short, it’s
their brainchild, their characters, their storyline, their idea.
We chatted with Chris Mayse, Show Experience Supervisor, who told
us a little bit about how this all came to fruition. “Scream
has been in development for over a year. We did a lot of research,
specifically the Area 51 phenomenon and found a lot of other creepy
and odd events going on other than just UFOs and aliens.”
Here’s
the basic plotline: “You’re about to enter The Nevada
State Institute of Wax (N.S.I.X.). In here, terrible experiments
on the criminally insane were conducted in the name of research.
Classified reports recently uncovered a disturbing link between
these psychotic killers – the test subjects were all workers
from the top secret Area 51. The unit was abandoned after the violent
slaughter of staff by their ringleaders. Now they wait for their
next victims. There is only one way out. Keep your wits about you.
The patients can smell your fear and every one is a killer…”
The attraction
“soft-opened” in early July this year, and is scheduled
to open officially in October – just in time, of course, for
Halloween. Madame Tussauds has been spending the better part of
three months (July to September) refining the experience and fixing
any ‘kinks’ to ensure that guests get the ultimate in
the interactive experience.
 Chris
adds, “We came up with various approaches and looks; and played
around with the styles and characters, of course, working towards
a product that would allow us to adapt and change over time, and
give us room for flexibility.”
In this essence,
the Vegas branch has become a guinea pig of sorts. “We’re
working towards converting all the scare attractions at Madame Tussauds
to Scream, because it is our brand and exclusive to us,” says
Chris. Of the other worldwide branches, the one in Hong Kong is
the only other one to have a similar scare attraction. Judging from
the guest feedback, this might come sooner than you think. Guests
have said that this is the scariest they’ve ever experienced.
Scream is also
unique in the sense that there is a human element involved, which
is, as Chris says, “part of the fun because you never know
what kind of reaction you’re going to get.” It’s
not by any means easy to portray a clinically insane inmate. At
any time of the day, there are about three to five actors/inmates
roaming the halls, and while they work in shifts, it takes about
a half-hour to get “in character,” applying costume
and make-up. The “tour” takes approximately 5-10 minutes;
depending, I suppose, on whether you run through it, or walk through
it. We asked Chris (who also used to play “Jason” in
the previous attraction) if the actors sometimes break from character
because of the guest’s reactions, and he laughingly said,
“So far, no, but we’re used to the sometimes crazy reaction
our guests have.” Yes, it’s that scary, and in this
instance, I’m willing to take his word for it.
-Rachel M. Sugay
Madame
Tussauds Las Vegas
Venetian Hotel, by the outdoor walkway. 702-862-7800. Open daily,
10 a.m.-10 p.m. Tickets are $25; children 6 and under, free.
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