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[making people cry] doesn’t worry me at all. In a way, I’d be doing something right, that’s what I’m supposed to be doing - scaring people

Name: Emma

From: Lemmington

Role: Landing Host & Narrator Host

What did you do before Ghosts Alive? For over a year I’ve been touring with kids theatre. It’s a one-hour show working to the curriculum about science. A year is a really long run – everyone I’ve spoken to has been like “a year?!”, so yes, it’s been busy. I love it that way, though – I’d probably be ill if I wasn’t this busy.

How did you get involved with Ghosts Alive? I heard about Scare School and Ghosts Alive through word of mouth. I’m not worried about having to walk the audience around, and it seems great to be able to invade their personal space.

I did the audition in Warwick – this is the second audition I’ve done, as last year I couldn’t do the show because of the tour. I wasn’t able to do Scare School properly this year because my contract only finished yesterday. I walked around in rehearsals with scripts, and I’ve spent all today watching, if it wasn’t for that I would be a lot more worried.

What about making people cry? Does that worry you? No, it doesn’t worry me at all. In a way, I’d be doing something right, that’s what I’m supposed to be doing – scaring people.

Any funny stories you'd like to share? From the theatre tour I did, kids have no self control. There was a monster in the show, and they would wet themselves and be sick just from the shocks in the show. Teachers would be shaking powder over the floor and be saying “don’t worry, It’s OK”. The smell was awful!

How does Ghosts Alive compare to your expectations? Have you done anything like this before, and how long do you plan on doing Ghosts Alive for? I had no expectations, although I have visited London Dungeon before. I hope to be here for the full 6 months – if they’ll have me! But my contract is for 3 months.

The acting side doesn’t worry me at all, but the technical side does

Name: Nicola

Location: Originally from Helmshaw, Lancashire

Role: Landing Host & Narrator Host

History: I’ve done absolutely nothing like this before. I’ve done touring theatre before, and I studied drama at Bretton Hall, so this is something completely new for me.

Scare School and Ghosts Alive: I had no expectations – I told friends about it and they were like “wwohhooooo” and joked about it, but to be honest I had no idea whether that was what it was going to be like.

How did the theory side of Scare School compare to anything else you’ve done? It was a lot different, and I did think it would be totally practical, but when the time comes for you to perform, you completely understand how important the theory has been. At the end of the day, you have to trust Lynton. He is the expert and he has been doing this for a million years.

And the audition? I read about Ghosts Alive in The Stage. You don’t really think about it, you just apply if it catches your eye. I did the Warwick audition. It was daunting, in a small room with a panel of five people. My first audition wasn’t accepted, but somebody dropped out so I was phoned and invited to a second smaller audition.

Have you had any worries at all? The acting side doesn’t worry me at all, but the technical side does. Things like operating the walkie-talkie, double batching and everything. As I am host and have to walk people through the whole show it can be pretty daunting at times. It’s something I’ll get used to though.

It can be hard staying in character sometimes, especially for the part where everybody needs to be off the stairs. You have to keep saying “Everybody, off the stairs” and there’s only so many ways you can say that. You learn how to ad lib when things happen unexpectedly. It isn’t something we normally do, though, it’s all scripted.

Have you got any funny stories? And how are you getting used to performing so intimately? No funny stories yet, other than the girl crying “I don’t wanna die!”. You get used to the intimacy and learn what you can get away with. Continues...