According to the tale spun by Red Vein Army, witches have been known to possess rabbits. (Photo by Richard Bailey courtesy Red Vein Army)
Feel the chill in the air, the rabbit running over your grave, the sense of impending doom. No, it’s not the upcoming election — it’s Halloween, fast approaching us with cobwebbed trees, molar-destroying chocolates and princess costumes. Out in the wilds of Hanover County, the scare-meisters at Red Vein Army want to make Halloween frightening again.
“That’s what I love about our haunted house,” says Ryan Sligh, a Richmonder whose day job is in finance. “The sense of anticipation, the fear that comes with not knowing what lies around the next corner.” Last year, Sligh and his team at Red Vein — a collective of artists, actors and horror enthusiasts — unveiled an elaborate “walking tour of hell” in a spooky cornfield at the Hanover Vegetable Farm. The scare-filled journey, peopled with malevolent characters and unsettling sights, led to the elaborately macabre Redvyn Manor, where a witch named Emily was unleashing holy terror on a group of paranormal investigators. This year, Emily is b-a-a-c-k, and her horrific rampage continues.
“People really responded to the story last year,” says co-organizer Kitty Barnes, a Midlothian resident who works in fashion and design. “Some of them would sit by the fire before they even went in and read the backstory. We were hearing from our monsters inside the tour that people were commenting on things they had read.”
Photo by Richard Bailey courtesy Red Vein Army
For this year’s sequel — with a bigger budget and more actors, designers and makeup artists — the murderous she-devil will throw a macabre dinner party. “You start off at an asylum, where you are introduced to the paranormal investigators,” says Sligh. “And then you enter the corn maze and that leads to our main attraction, the house, which has doubled in size. Along the way, you learn more about Emily and her family history.” Red Vein will also have another attraction: an escape room where patrons have three minutes to collect clues and find the exit or face their doom. “We are more about building a psychological experience,” Sligh says. “We want you to be thinking about your visit the next day.”
Just remember: Emily is watching you.
Scare Tactics
For those who want to create their own Halloween haunts, the Red Vein Army shares these tips.
- Setup: Every great performer knows how to set up the punchline, whether you’re a comedian, a magician or a haunt actor.
- Practice: Rehearse your scare until it becomes second nature.
- Observation: This involves pinpointing which person will be most affected by your scare and being aware of your surroundings.
- Patience: Sometimes you have to wait to get the “best” scare.
- Timing: Knowing the exact moment to jump out when a person’s guard is down.
- Simplicity: People are startled by things that aren’t part of the norm, such as loud noises when least expected or by someone appearing above or below their line of sight.
- Communication: If you’re partnering with someone on a scare, make sure you’re on the same page and in constant communication. Know each of your moves.
- Above all: Never break character.
Red Vein Army’s Haunted House will be open weekends through October, and Halloween night, at the Hanover Vegetable Farm, 13580 Ashland Road. $20 (Escape Room $5). For more information, visit redveinhaunt.com.
