The Ghost Town Experience - Part One

Well that was fun – and fascinating – and exhausting – and exhilarating – and . . .

I’m back! And I had a great time - it may take me a while to recover though - I'm also worn out – we didn't get back to the hotel much before 1am for three nights - and then our minds were buzzing so much we couldn't sleep!

It’s true what they say about TV work – that there’s a lot of sitting around, waiting – and waiting . . . We had to be at the venue - the Viaduct Theatre in Halifax. for about 7pm each night. The audience had to be there from 6 to collect their armbands. Then they waited. The programme went out live from 9pm each night of the weekend so there was a longish time to hang around before they even got into the studio. But there was a bar where they waited – once inside they couldn’t eat or drink – no rustling, crunching, slurping to spoil the broadcast!

300+ people crammed into the small, stone flagged theatre. Dean Clough was once one of the world’s largest carpet mills and the Viaduct theatre is underground in the part of the old mill complex. Already dark and atmospheric, with rutted, uneven floors, bare stone walls and low curved archways, it was given added atmosphere by smoky effect, blue and red lights and monochrome netting ‘posters’ of Derek Acorah himself hanging suspended at various points and swaying in the draughts. An extra, unplanned touch was added by the occasional drip of water down the old walls – something not put in deliberately but which added a real dungeon-like sound effect! The main set was just a circular stage with padded benches for the presenter and interviewees to perch on, dominated from behind by a huge screen on which first the clock counting down the time to the live broadcast, then the titles, and finally the actual investigations conducted each night were projected as they were happening. This way, we could see what was happening beyond the theatre and what the TV audiences were viewing.

The experts and their guests were squirreled away behind closed doors where the friendly members of Ruggie Media provided us with drinks, and information as to what was going to happen. Here we met Mark, the producer, researcher Kufena, and Assistant Floor Manager Helen who all made us wonderfully welcome. As I was just there to observe and didn’t have to worry about my part in the event, I was able to sit back and watch people coming and going - the presenters Angus Purden and Nicola Wheeler who join Derek Acorah on his investigations and studio presenter Liz Bonnin and finally Derek Acorah himself as they headed into makeup and were fitted with mikes etc.



From the theatre we could hear whoops, laughter and great rounds of applause as Helen warmed up the audience, getting them into a relaxed and enthusiastic mood, and rehearsing them in when to applaud etc. Meanwhile the BM chatted to his fellow experts – Folklore writer and lecturer John Billingsley, Local Ghost Walk organiser Paul Bellinger, and Town Crier Les Cutts.

Ghost Town’s regular expert on haunted place and history is the lovely Richard Jones. Watching the BM meeting and then getting to know him was a delight. They have so many similar interests and through the show they were sparking ideas off each other and talking and talking and talking . . . Richard was even generous enough to bring the BM’s book Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in and Around Halifax onto the set with him and put it prominently on the table they shared where it could be caught by the cameras. So in the same spirit – if you’re interested in Haunted Britain etc – check out Richard’s web site

Okay – so where have I got to?? From 8.30 everyone was in the theatre, rehearsing, rehearsing, rehearsing – applauding to order, watching Ben the Floor Manager for a sign when to bring up the applause and when to tone it down, learning our cue ‘300 paranormal fans’ to be ready to applaud. Watching Liz go through the opening again and again. It’s a strange feeling watching someone just in front of you (all the experts and guests were on the very front row) apparently talking g to herself then realising that she’s communicating with the production team who were in another building.

Count down begins – ‘Ten minutes to on air, Ladies and Gents.’ ‘Five minutes . . .’ ’45 seconds . . .’ The titles and the theme music had been played and played and played . . . but then suddenly it was ‘5 seconds . . ‘ and this time when the titles came up it was for real! Derek Acorah’s Ghost Town’s Live – Halifax – was on air and we were live to the country – parts of the world! We applauded on cue – some people whooped and cheered – we were introduced to Nicola and Angus – Derek Acorah himself came on to talk about how he was looking forward to the night. Then he went off to get into the car to go to the first destination.

For those of you who don’t know the show – the Ghost Towns bus parks in the centre of a town and people who live there come to tell their stories of sightings and moving objects and things that go bump in the night . . . Then the production team decide which ones they want to investigate and that’s where they send Derek – but they don’t tell him anything about the place or even where it is. We’d been told – very quietly – the day’s destinations – but the doors between our meeting with the producer and the room where the medium himself was were very definitely closed.

Saturday’s main destination wasSaturday’s main destination was The Piece Hall a wonderful, spectacular building right in the heart of Halifax. When I lived there, this beautiful building had been allowed to fall into some disarray but in 1976, the whole place was cleaned up and now looks wonderful.

So the investigation team headed out to the Piece Hall – and then experts were introduced. Suddenly the moment that I knew the BM had dreaded was here. Liz spoke first to Richard Jones and then smiled at the BM as she introduced True Crime Historian Stephen Wade . . .I held my breath . . . heard him make a joke – and the ice was broken. After that he was – as the production team later said – ‘a natural’! When I look back at the recording, I can see he was nervous at first , but he soon warmed up, relaxed – and enjoyed himself.

Okay, that’s part one – there’s more – lots more – but guess what – right now I’m off to watch TV – there’s a programme on called Derek Acorah’s Ghost Towns that I want to watch – it’s going to mean so much more to me this time!Back soon.