I’m someone who generally avoids anything horror-related, so attending the media launch for the event was like facing my childhood fears: the dark unknown and the creepy storytelling.
The unusual sounds and dimmed lights made me feel like Little Red Riding Hood lost in the middle of the woods.
Picture shows Scream Queen Molly Mahem, ‘Slappy’ the clown and ‘Bloody Mary’ at the launch. JULIEN BEHAL PHOTOGRAPHY
The last time I experienced a taste of fear like this was when I was younger when my family and I had to take a shortcut through a cemetery at night to reach home.
It was like a scene from a horror movie. Imagine walking through a maze of stacked graves, smoke swirling around you and a streetlight barely illuminating your path.
If my emotions were like the characters in the movie Inside Out, I’d say fear and anxiety were in charge. I felt the same unsettling sensations when I first entered The House of Little Red, of the areas inside the attraction.
Growing up in the Philippines, celebrating Halloween was not the main event for me and my family. Instead, we celebrated Undas, a tradition honouring the dead that combines Catholic and superstitious beliefs.
After moving to Ireland, the birthplace of Halloween, I realised that many beliefs are similar across cultures, especially when it comes to the concept of myths and legends.
Karl O’Connor, co-owner and creative director of the Nightmare Realm, says he and his wife had visited Siquijor, a place renowned for its myths and legends in the Philippines.
I asked him whether Siquijor had inspired any elements of the Nightmare Realm, he said: “There’s a lot of stories and a lot of mystery, and I think with a lot of scary stuff, it’s all about what you can’t see, or what you know, just the vague idea that there’s this mythical creature out there, very like Ireland and the story of the Banshee.
“It’s the stories of those that really creep people out.”
My interview with Karl proved that, even without scaring the life out of someone, storytelling alone can be creepy.
It’s like an actor’s ability to bring their characters to life, making the event immersive. Similar to how I felt inside Slappy’s Birthday Bash.
While there were moments that made me sweat, the overall experience was entertaining. It was an adrenaline-pumping experience.
The dimly lit room, eerie sounds, great set-design (my favourite was The Meat Market area) and anticipation of the unknown. It is indeed a product of creative storytelling.
To my surprise, I liked the experience. Attending the media launch for The Nightmare Realm was like stepping out of my safety zone. I’ve learned that we literally need to face our fears to get over them.
Just as Little Red Riding Hood escaped the Big Bad Wolf, it gave me a chance to discover a new appreciation for the horror genre.
