Haunting and humor

[Duke of Darkness]

I was curious about how different people use humor in their haunts. I know that one thing that we like to do, when possible, is build tension, trigger the scare, then give and opportunity for laughter/release, only to build the tension again. What do you do to bring humor to your haunt? Or, if you don't use humor, why not? I look forward to your thoughts.

Dave

[Empressnightshade]

I was curious about how different people use humor in their haunts. I know that one thing that we like to do, when possible, is build tension, trigger the scare, then give and opportunity for laughter/release, only to build the tension again. What do you do to bring humor to your haunt? Or, if you don't use humor, why not? I look forward to your thoughts.

Dave

Dave, that's a great question!

I do use humor. I think it's very important that you do. Besides, get them laughing and they let their guard down which is the perfect time to scare them.

I'm not much for lots of blood and gore in my haunt. Besides, when I try, it winds up looking like something out of a kiddy's cartoon. My talents don't lie there. However, I CAN make people laugh and scream. I use humor in the Greeter's speech at the beginning. I use it with certain things in my scenes. They are not always visible to the average person, but those who see it will find the humor. Some of the characters I create are also funny yet in a scary sort of way. Using a clown clinic theme this coming season calls for LOTS of humor of which I am looking forward to.

[Jim Warfield]

Of course using "Humor" in a haunt can get you immeadiately psycho analyzed because you can tell alot about a person by what they percieve as being "Funny".
Humor can be a needed reset button for the customer which also makes it more possible to then scare them some more.
I do not like to witness terror building and building on a customer's face . Everyone else in the group have already release-laughed 10 times and this one person looks very distraught with no end to it in sight, not good, phobias might soon follow. I stop everything and directly talk to this kind of a customer trying to reassure them and to get them to relax, calm down.

I might have an extra advantage over most of you in the fact that I am old enough to be alot of my customer's father or even grandfather so as I begin the front room routine I can play it very serious for awhile, then suddenly say and do totally nutty things, things not normally heard or seen coming from "The elderly" (unless they are locked away!)
I relish "juxtaposition" humor, visual and verbal.
I will build tension up to the scare, then make them laugh at the scare itself, then they think it's over I become serious and scare them again.
Of course I can see how humor in a large "through-put" designed haunt would be mostly impossible because humor takes time, but then if you had a small floor plan, taking time to entertain people this way makes the tour longer , if customers equate time with monetary value as applied to judging the show's worth in ticket moneys spent.
I have been doing this for almost 20 years now, but many others have told me, and I have read in interveiws with well-known actors that "Humor" is the hardest thing to do well.
Humor is risk, you risk not being funny or offending someone, I have done plenty of both, I try to recoup quickly and go n to something else and still give them a memorable show, one way or another.
In my opinion almost every haunt should be using at least a fair amount of humor in their show, for all the previously mentioned , practical reasons.

[Duke of Darkness]

Jim, when I posted the question, I knew you would have plenty to say on the subject

I agree that humor is very useful, if not absolutely necessary in a haunted attraction. It provides that stress relief and allows the guest to experience terror, yet not be traumatized and have a good time. When I hear guests scream first, then laugh, I know that we are doing something right.

The question for everyone remains, how do you incorporate humor into your haunt? Crazy characters? Out of place props? Tongue in cheek displays?

As Jim often reminds us, humor is risk. What have you tried that has not worked? That has backfired?

Not being nosey, just trying to stimulate what I think could be a valuable area for exploration...

Dave

[Nightmaretony]

Plan to use humor in almost random seeming times, sometimes in rhythmn, sometimes without to throw off responses of people....