So I went last night...
Have a review, hopefully it shouldn't reveal TOO many of the extra new details as to spoil any surprises if you want to visit with a clear mind, but it gives some information as comparison to the original Dungeons scenes...
It's good, very good actually... Whilst it might lack the 'atmosphere' of Tooley Street's bridge times, it has taken some of the good scenes from it, and improved them ALL... As well as taken the chance to change around the route, improving the throughput and expanding the entire thing whilst producing a few extra random bits and bobs...
So the lift intro is quite good, with a bit of interaction, we had an amusing actress for this, and the hilarity of the 'finale' of the section was just, well, brilliant, and kind of set the level of humour we will see...
Straight into the boat ride, which is SUCH an improvement on the old one, as it has THINGS HAPPENING!!! Then Brian Blessed appeared and all was good... It had a few extra bits on the excessive long journey back, though perhaps a few bits weren't working currently... Either way, a definite improvement...
Onto Guy Fawkes, we missed the intro portion to this due to being on the last boat, but I'm sure it's basically "Blah blah blah delay until the group all appears", anyways, into the tunnels we go, where we have a small scene regarding finding Guy Fawkes and giving him a letter before we are forced to move on through the Sewers, which included tiny low tunnels of dark... Which was annoying but still more interesting than a corridor... Then we have a VERY Horrible Histories style scene with Guy Fawkes and a Cavaliar... As a big fan of the show, this kind of humour is Benin approved...
Next, Torture scene, straight out the old Dungeons really, minimal change here aside from a reference to the previous scene...
Plague next, with bonus SMELL effects! A longer street with more random effects leading up to a chat about the Plague and what not... They REALLY loved the face projection stuff this time around... Then we had the Surgery which was much improved with the actor actually speaking rather than following the pre-recorded spiel... Also a few extra effects and jokes in there but again, similar to before but better... You then get to walk again through the Turning Room, which is, a trommel, with added effects and rats...
Then it's time for Sweeney Todd, the addition of a proper Mrs Lovett scene is much approved, with lots of really bad puns, but that's the level of humour we're working with now people, get used to it... Sweeney is similar to before but with added pre-show actor, which was different and provided a different nervy build-up atmosphere... Also a few things added on here as well... Good times...
Jack the Ripper now, and this has similarities to the original, what with the Mitre Square scene, then it goes into the Mirror Maze, which is again what it was before but with different sound effects until we eventually get let into the Pub... Which is now bigger, and SO, SO much better than the original, with a lot more going on throughout, much improved...
Then the Judge, which is it's usual hilarious self... The two here were really pushing the level of innuendo this time and it was brilliant... There was also proof of ad-libbing ("Where are you from?" "Norway" "Oh, there's Nor-Way he's getting away with this!") so whilst it may not be constant, it will still occur... Again it's similar to the old version but really they didn't have to change it much as it was good then...
Finally Extremis 2, after a build-up to the long drop stuff from another actor, we get taken into the ride section, which I'm not sure if I prefer the drop of the original or the new one, but regardless it was rather good though I think in the end... I did adore the floor of the ride with it's rotating floor slats though, little bit goony but whatevers
And that's it... And overall, whilst some may not like the lack of Tooley Street atmosphere, they took this chance full-fold, removing the rubbish scenes (Great Fire and Heretic) and improving a LOT of the scenes that were transferred... Some bits remained consistent but those were good beforehand...
Well worth a visit, good fun, good theming, very enjoyable...
