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London Dungeons

No Ad-libbing will be allowed under the new style of Dungeon. All actors are being filmed and monitored (audio also). Sad really - but that's the direction Merlin are taking it.
 
That's just stupid.
Like once there was an actor switch over and they did it cleverly mid scene with relevant lines and some jokes thrown in.

All scripted could be quite boring, as it means its the same thing every thine, there needs to be some variety!
 
If they're going that far to prevent it they must have a reason for doing so. Presumably they've had complaints in the past over things actors have said...?
 
When Dungeon attractions go strictly off scripts (with zero allowance for improvisation), there is no advantage to guests in revisiting.

Going to the Blackpool Tower Dungeon at least five times last year just killed the attraction for myself personally. :(
 
I go to the current dungeons loads every year and there's always funny bits, always something different.

It's a shame everything is going to be scripted, there needs to be some freedom.
 
I think there will obviously be freedom in the interaction with guests (as that's where a lot of the humour stems) but maybe they're just tightening up the bits around that so they're timed better to allow more people through the gate. £££££
 
I'm not particularly convinced that timing is really a problem at all in the current Dungeons (and where it is, it's due to Vengeance and the other rides, not the actors). Can't see this being the reason, in all honesty.
 
Why is it that you seem to see barely anyone over the age of 30 working in most Merlin attractions these days!
 
Because they take on mostly part time actors for The Dungeons, who are fresh out of drama school (with Equity Cards). There have been some elderly actors at the London Dungeon, though - lovely guy! Looked exhausted, though!
 
Surely the whole point of having live actors is that they can interact and adlib? Take that away, and you may as well have everything prerecorded on screens.
 
Assuming that the court scene is transferring - and I have no reason to believe it won't - then having a set script for that scene in particular will make it very poor. When I visited the Dungeons last year, that scene in particular was very good, with references to penal transportation being made when the third 'accused' person stated he was from Australia. As others have pointed out, improvisation means that each experience is different, and making actors learn a script will almost certainly mean that repeat visits will be less likely.
 
Do that many people really go on repeat visits to the dungeons though? Considering it is, almost entirely, a tourist attraction?

I imagine those who do revisit tend to have annual passes, therefore providing no worth to the attraction itself (i've not once spent money on a repeat visit to a dungeon).
 
Repeat visits makes no difference. However actor interactivity does. The main problem with a script (depending how strict they have to stick to it) is that it does not allow for the actor to play along with any guests, have jokes and therefore allow their character to have some flexibility. They are left having to act very robotic and stick within what the script says.

Very disappointing, kind of takes away the fun you get from scare mazes. Now if they had a loose script and could play with their character it would be a lot more interesting - and make the actors job more fun!
 
Popped into the London Dungeons tonight with Chris and Natalie for a final trip around before it closes.

Some of the existing sets are already being dismantled. Vengence was closed and the Sweeney Todd scene has been replaced by a ridiculous story about fog. The former room with the chairs has been gutted, with just a few props in there. You walk in, the lights go out, and there's just some bizarre audio for a minute or two and then the door opens. Weird!
 
DiogoJ42 said:
Surely the whole point of having live actors is that they can interact and adlib? Take that away, and you may as well have everything prerecorded on screens.
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Going by that theory why would anyone go see a play or musical in the west end when they can watch a recording?? I agree adlibbing is good (though the ability to go off script has been limited at blackpool since it opened and its never really caused an issue imo) but thats a just a stupid comment to make.
 
Jordan said:
Popped into the London Dungeons tonight with Chris and Natalie for a final trip around before it closes.

Some of the existing sets are already being dismantled. Vengence was closed and the Sweeney Todd scene has been replaced by a ridiculous story about fog. The former room with the chairs has been gutted, with just a few props in there. You walk in, the lights go out, and there's just some bizarre audio for a minute or two and then the door opens. Weird!
Click to expand...

Yes... the Freezing fog show was certainly the worst thing I've ever seen heard at The London Dungeon. They could've done nothing there and it would've been better...!

Merlin are doing a TV ad for The Dungeon today... which is quite impressive! Never had one of them before!
 
evilcod said:
Going by that theory why would anyone go see a play or musical in the west end when they can watch a recording?? I agree adlibbing is good (though the ability to go off script has been limited at blackpool since it opened and its never really caused an issue imo) but thats a just a stupid comment to make.
Click to expand...

The difference is that unlike west end shows, Dungeons actors very rarely perform. They just recite their lines with little to no depth of character. The few who actually do offer something special are the ones who adlib.
By contrast the actors in The LBE over the road are were some of the best interactive character performances I have seen, precisely because they have had total freedom to do as they pleased. No two visits are were ever the same.
 
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