'NIGHTMARE' CAST ANNOUNCEMENT!

Jennifer Quinn

Hello! My name is Jennifer Quinn and I am a young actress based in London. Since graduating from the Guildford School of Acting I have performed as Hazel in Airport (Roundhouse/Broadway Theatre) and the Goddess' in The Tempest (White Bear).  

What about the horror genre interests you?

It keeps you on the edge of your seat, and you never know what is going to happen!

Do you have any fun Halloween experiences you can tell us?

My favorite Halloween memory is dressing up as a mime artist, though it did mean I couldn't talk all night!!

What scares you?

I'm scared of heights and insects that burrow under your skin like in the film the Mummy!

What was a time in your life when you were really scared?

I was really scared when I did the trapeze without a safety net!

Mike Duran

The old man of the cast Mike gave up a Sony award winning career in radio to return to his first love of acting.  Mike has garnered commendable reviews working on London's fringe circuit this year.  Recently finishing a run at The Drayton Theatre he has played a wide range of characters including Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Acres in Sheridan's The Rivals and the eponymous Silas Marner in the George Eliot adaptation.  He has also recently completed his first lead role in a short film. 

What about the horror genre interests you? 

This sounds too much like an 'A' level question. 

Do you have any fun Halloween experiences you can tell us? 

No.  Had you asked me for post pub stories we could have been here for some time. 

What scares you? 

Mirrors and stupid people.  (Did you know that Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth ?)  

What was a time in your life when you were really scared? 

The scariest thing I've done is an open-mic slot at The New York Comedy Club, recorded for Capital Radio. Sadly there was nothing funny about the experience.

Kelly Craig

I have recently graduated from Central School of Speech and Drama BA Hons acting course and was fortunate enough to play a range of parts during my training. Such as Queen Magaret in Richard III, Rose in The American Clock and Olga in Three Sisters. I would say that Queen Magaret was the most fun and interesting part to play. She has a real dominating and fierce presence exuding a great amount of anger and passion which was exciting and challanging to be able to throw yourself into. I was fortunate enough to take my third year Russian production of 'Black Snow'  by Bulgakov to the Moscow Arts Theatre which was an unforgettable experience. We really got a feel for the intensity and endurance the Russian actors have and immersed ourselves into the Russian arts culture. It was also quite amazing to see how much vodka they drink! It was quite amazing to play to a Russian speaking audience and appreciated our production in such a different way then London audience's. It was such a memorable experience. Since leaving drama school, I was lucky enough to be part of the initial workshop for the new musical based on the Spice Girl's songs called 'Viva Forever' written by Jennifer Saunders which was an amazing experience as well as recently coming back from performing in a new production called 'Street Cries' in which I played quite a few characters alongside another actor taking the audience through the day in the lives of these eccentric characters! Earlier this year, I performed in production called 'A Women Alone' by Dario Fo which was challanging but really fun. This is my first performance with Theatre Giant and I am extremely excited to be part of this production.


What about the horror genre interests you?
 This is the first time I have actually performed on stage in a horror play. I have acted in short films but I am so excited to see how different it feels being in a horror production on stage. It will be exciting to really throw yourself into a part on stage and sustain this atmosphere of terror throughout as oppose to stopping for separate takes. I love the idea of taking myself to a new place which horror allows you to do. It is exciting to feel vulnerable and unsure what is about to happen next, although that uncertainty can make me feel scared and exposed. 

Do you have any fun Halloween experiences you can tell us?
 I have had some really fun Halloween experiences as I used to go all out with it when I was younger. One of my most memorable time, was when I was about 10 years old and a couple of friends and I were going around our neighbourhood and we knew where one of our most strict year six teacher lived who genuinely scared us all but we decided to foam her entire car (it was a posh car!) and stick tissue paper on it not realising that one of our not so clever friends had decided to write her name in the foam. So the next day at school wasn't so much fun with her probing us with questions to see if we would crack which we eventually did with the honour of having to clean her car as punishment.

What scares you?
 There are two things that geninely scare me. One of which still does and the other was a phobia growing up! The first which still scares me are the noises in my house. It is usually caused by heating coming on but because of my vivid imagination, I create all sorts of stories of the scary people who could be looming around the corner. I used to sleep on my brother's floor for years when I was younger due to my fear of something terrifying coming to get me. I actually chose a hard floor over a comfortable bed for years! The worst habit I got into was constantly checking under my bed about ten times everytime I went to sleep! The most extreme my fear got of something in the house was actually not too long ago, when I was alone in my house and was so convinced someone was there that I put a knife under the sofa just incase! Another phobia which got pretty out of control when I was younger was a serious fear of odd numbers (which sounds ridiculous and crazy now). It lasted for quite a few years growing up and I really hated and felt quite sickened by odd numbers. I would make anyone who touched me and kissed me hello to do it twice and I would count my footsteps and how many times I clapped after a show to ensure it was an even amount of times! It got so out of control that I had to change my GCSE candidate number to an even one as well as ensure my car number plate was even when buying a car. It was a genuine fear that looking back seems so crazy but at the time was really bad. I still put the radio on a even number which is the only habit that has remained but otherwise, I am cured!

What was a time in your life when you were really scared?
 One of my most  most frightening experience's (which is going to sound really silly!) was last year when 2 of my friends and I were staying at a flat in Mallorca. We had never stayed there before and got quite scary vibes from the moment we walked in. There were lots of creepy paintings on the wall and the creepiest was by my bed which was a huge, heavy portait of a girl playing outside. One night, at around 4a.m we were all fast asleep when suddenly this portrait came crashing down to the floor right by my bed. It was the loudest fall ever with the glass shattering and just the little girls smiling face lying on the floor next to the bed (creepy!). I jumped up and shouted 'Whose there?', really convinced someone was standing there. I had this whole vision of someone dragging a gun along a wardrobe and standing at the end of the bed holding it out (my vivid imagination!). We all jumped into one bed with the lights bright on, literally petrified and convincing each other it was just a painting on a lose string! You wouldn't have thought girls in their twenties would be capable of getting so scared!

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Tickets for Nightmare available from The Space on 0207 515 7799.

Meet the Crew!

The clock is ticking, the excitement is escalating and our team is buzzing with activity as we count down the days to the opening night of Theatre Giant's newest production of Nightmare: The Fright of Your Life.

We thought we would write a fun blog to introduce everyone to our hard working team of designers, directors and managers. Get comfortable as they let you into their deepest, darkest secrets....

  Director: Peter Snee

Creative Director of Theatre Giant, Peter Snee is very excited to bring this production of Roger Moss' Nightmare: The Fright of Your Life to The Space this Autumn. Peter graduated from Bath Spa University and as both producer and director he already has a huge amount of achievements under his belt, from London's West End to many other regional venues. His production of Stephen King's Misery last year was well received by both audiences and critics alike and this summer Peter directed Stuart Brennan's new comedy, Coffee Mornings in Stoke-on-Trent.

What is your favourite horror film/show?
I am a big fan of the thriller style horror and I am always mesmerized by actors that can take me on their journey.
I think a brilliant example of this is Silence of the Lambs, staring the incredible Anthony Hopkins.

Have you got any phobias?
I have an irrational phobia of  spiders; big, small, hairy or not, I can not stand them! But don't tell anybody.

What's the most frightening experience of your life?
The most frightening experience of my life has to be feeling a hand on my back when I was at our country house alone. When I turned around to see who was there; there was nobody to be seen.

Follow him on Twitter @PeterJSnee

Assistant Director: Suley Muhidin

Acting is a lot of fun, possibly even more thrilling than just being your regular old self. What’s more exciting than acting? In my opinion, directing. It’s like playing God. Only I don’t usually know where I want to end up but I always know when I get there. Relax, its only entertainment.

What is your favourite horror film/show? 
 My favourite horror film would have to be the Paranormal Activity series. Those films had me on edge! Yeah I know it’s not cool but I did jump once or twice, maybe a little more than just once or twice, my point is, your furniture flying across the house just isn’t an every day occurrence.

Have you got any phobias? 
 I think I can deal with most things, but snakes! You’ve got to be kidding me. They’re just awful.

What's the most frightening experience of your life?
 It was after midnight, I was making my way back to university from London. I was still in my first term of uni and I wasn’t too familiar with the route. There were server delays and I had just managed to hop on the last train to Birmingham. I had to change trains half way at a derelict train station. I knew I shouldn’t have, but I was desperate and I really had to go, I just couldn’t hold it. I went to use the public toilet and on my way out I realised that there was no door handle from the inside. To my dismay, I found myself locked in the public toilet for over an hour. I missed my train and I was stuck in a creepy village looking town for the night. I’m a city boy; I just can’t cope with country life. 

Follow him on Twitter @suleysauce

Sound Design: Tord 'THOOOORRR' Brudevoll 

Sound designer and classically trained musician studying at Rose Bruford College of Performing Arts. He flew over to England with hammer in hand from Norway shaking every theatre with epic orchestrations and designs. Notable works include Around the World with Bearded Kitten, Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Book and Jesus Christ Superstar.

What is your favourite horror film?
The Shinning

Have you got any phobias?
Fear of Slugs

What is the most frightening experience of your life?
2mm from falling off a 60 metre high cliff! 

Sound Design: Daffyd Gough

Sound designer and composer studying at Rose Bruford College of Performing Arts, hailing from the west midlands with nothing but a computer, a mircrophone and a noggin full of bizarre sound ideas. Notable works include Rock of Ages, Coffee Mornings, Around the World, H.I., Loves Oblique Lines and Maybe the Devil. 

What is your favourite horror film?
House on Haunted Hill

Have you got any phobias?
Being completely paralysed

What is the most frightening experience of your life?
Watching House on Haunted Hill, when a car crashed and exploded on my drive and a fireball came up to the window. I wet myself a little.  

Lighting Design: Marie Kearney

Parents always thought me and brother would be doctors/ lawyers. Kept them happy- right through to A Level psychology where 7 out of 8 of the projects i proposed for my final assessment were forbidden on ethical grounds. Went in search of an evil lair and ended up getting into theatre, now spend my days running around in the dark, sneaking up behind people and making things go bump.

What is your favourite horror film?
Bucket of Blood, House on Haunted Hill and It

Have you got any phobias?
Things crawling on me!

What is the most frightening experience of your life?
Almost dying in my sleep a few weeks ago, and my body deciding to wake me up by dreaming about being choked by a bald grey midget with my cousin's face. 

 

 

Set and Costume: Olivia Ward

Olivia graduated this summer from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts with a First Class Honours degree in Technical Theatre, specialising in design. Mountview design credits include: A Month In The Country, directed by Jake Murray, The Women, directed by Emma Gersch, Glengarry Glen Ross, directed by Jonathan Moore

Outside design credits:
The Devil Inside Him at The White Bear Theatre, The Picture House Musical at Edinburgh Fringe Festival/LOST Theatre Lambeth, Please Wait Patiently at The Tabard Theatre, Superstar at The Tristan Bates Theatre, Huis Clos at The Barons Court Theatre 

What is your favourite horror film?
The Orphan 

Have you got any phobias?
Masks

What's the most frightening experience of your life? 
Hearing movement in a stock room I knew was empty at work! We worked in a Grade 2 listed building which was rumoured to be haunted.  

Stage Manager: Will Collins

After starting his career as an actor, Will found himself working more and more behind the scenes, over the last couple of months he’s worked in places all over the UK and even abroad in Sweden. He’s just returned to London from working on 4 different shows up at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Upon finishing Nightmare: The Fright Of Your Life he will be travelling up to Stockport to take on the role of DSM for the well-known Pantomime Aladdin, for the Christmas season. 

What is your favourite horror film?
 Well I'm not really a horror fan because I get scared and can't hack it... I couldn't watch the whole of 'The Mummy' until I was about 14. So... Horror - Film: 1408 (John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson) and being that I don't like Horrors I haven't seen many Horror Plays... So I couldn't really comment sorry..

Have you got any phobias?
Not really a Phobia... but I don't like water... not like drinking water, and I'm not scared of water, I just don't like the Sea or Rivers or anything to do with it... I don't even eat fish. 

What's the most frightening experience of your life?  
An ongoing Nightmare from the age of 5 of things closing in on me. 

Make up and Special effects: Rosina Bunting

 Theatre and film has been a passion of mine since childhood. Over time I have become particularly fascinated by the horror genre, from classic B movies like Frankenstein and Dracula and to the modern quirky creations of Tim Burton.

I’ve studied Art+ Design, Theatre and Makeup/Special effects since leaving school. All of these things have influenced the career path I have decided to take. I have worked on diverse productions from Madame Butterfly at The Royal Albert Hall to short low budget films, but nothing quite beats creating a really gruesome zombie.

What is your favourite horror film/show?
Choosing a favourite horror film is almost impossible for me, but if I really had to it’d be the first horror I ever saw which was ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’, purely for its tacky 80’s effects, tastelessness and cheesy one liners, it’s a classic.

Have you got any phobias?
Ship wrecks, Sharks and deep dark water...

What's the most frightening experience of your life?
Being stuck in a very old taxidermy museum in Malta with my sister, in the middle of a very violent thunder storm. We were the only people in the whole building...and the only member of staff was in a different building! The lights kept turning on and off and the windows kept shaking with plenty of beady eyes staring at us. We couldn’t leave because the lightening kept striking the surrounding buildings, so we had to make friends with a giant dead octopus in a tank of formaldehyde and wait for the storm to pass... not my favourite experience.

Make up and Special effects: Yvonne James

Having studied production and art  for  two years and came away with flying colours, not forgetting student of the year, i've worked on a few things like; the opening of the world skills at the O2, Madam Butterfly at the Royal Opra House, The Elephant Man at the Duke of Hamiiton, Magdeline players on Once Upon a Rhyme and makeup for a short film and a few more. So who am I?  I am a person who is determind to succeed in what ever I put my mind to. To some me up I can say I am very honest.

What is your favourite horror film/show?
I can't say I really have one but if I had to pick one I would have to say the Ring (the chinese version). 

 Have you got any phobias?

 I would say I am scared of failing  and as for my phobia, well just thinking of it gives me the chills lol, and that's heights (help) what a fear factor.  

 Make up and Special effects: Jessica Aflick

My name is Jessica and I have been drawn to make up, hair and anything arty since early childhood. I have resently finished studying Production Arts, a specialist subject in make up for performers at South Thames College. My previous work as a make up artist involved working for the popular make up brand MAC, several small theatre productions and a few short films.

What is your favourite horror film/show? 

 My favourite horror film, gosh, that is hard to say for the simple fact I'm quite easily scared and it may not be classed as horror!  But I do enjoy the Saw movies. The first is probably my favourite because I really wasn't expecting it to be so dark and cheesy at the same time. I remember watching Dawn of the Dead when I was young with my big brother, and it scared the life out of me! I swear I've never had so many nightmares, lol.

Have you got any phobias?

My biggest fear is to fall off a boat into cold water with all them sea creatures, like jelly fish! I hate them, and I am not a strong swimmer.

What's the most frightening experience of your life?
My biggest Phobia are wasps. I hate them simply because they scare the hell out of me buzzing around like that. I have been stung twice, its quite embarassing because I am always running away from them. I seem to attract them, but I have learnt to scream and get the hell out of there.

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For some Nightmares, waking up is just the beginning...

Welcome to our first blog, and the first of many exciting blogs to come, dear readers!

Here in the office our excitement can hardly be contained as the count down begins. There are only 7 weeks until opening night of Nightmare: The Fright of Your Life at The Space in the Isle of Dogs, and we just wanted to let everyone know what a fantastic production Nightmare is going to be.

This week we have meetings with the set, lighting, sound, costume and make up designers. Everyone's creative juices are flowing, as we aim to make this the most scary thriller on the Off Westend circuit, and literally make you jump out of your skins!

 For those who have never witnessed Roger Moss' nail biting thriller performed you are in for a treat as Theatre Giant are bringing a terrifying production to London this October.

When soon to be married couple frank and Jenny find their dream home in a quiet, secluded village in the heart of the English countryside, they think that they have struck gold.

After returning from their honeymoon, they plan to begin married life in the old converted chapel they now call home. From day 1 they start to notice strange things happening with the house and their new neighbours but decide to put this down to village life.

The truth however is altogether more petrifying.

Frank and Jenny suddenly find themselves the focus point of a nightmare that begins to unfold around them. A nightmare with only 1 ending. And we hope you will be there to witness The Fright of Your Life!