But just a few steps into the dimly-lit chambers of Seri Panggung, and you’ll probably feel a shiver creep down your spine.
What ominous presence lurks in this enigmatic location? And what darkness hides in the hearts of those who walk its shadowy corridors? It’s up to you to discover its secrets for yourself… and hopefully, make it out alive.
Adventurers and horror aficionados will find plenty to enjoy at “Hauntu Seri Panggung”, an attraction which combines live actors, role play and storytelling with a sinister set design and sound effects to create a horror experience like no other.
“We wanted to create an experience that truly immersed our audience in the chilling world of horror, while also celebrating the richness of Malaysia’s cultural heritage,” Hauntu co-founder and head of operations and experience design Johnny Ong told FMT Lifestyle.
Launched in August this year, “Hauntu Seri Panggung” is presented by homegrown entertainment company Superdough, whose other projects include “Breakout” and “Spy Game”.
This is Superdough’s second interactive “Hauntu” experience, after “Hauntu@The Linc Kuala Lumpur” in 2018.
Set in the days of the Malay Sultanate, “Hauntu Seri Panggung” invites participants to enter the hallowed halls of a prestigious dance academy, which dedicates itself to traditional arts such as Mak Yong, Wayang Kulit and Kuda Kepang.
Like its predecessor “Hauntu@The Linc”, the attraction periodically features different storylines (or ‘Episodes’). Currently, it is staging “Episode 1: A Mother’s Wish”, which revolves around siblings who visit the academy in search of their long-lost mother.
Participants can expect to encounter mysterious characters, spooky events and unexplained forces as they try to get to the bottom of what’s truly going on. How their adventure ends will depend on the choices they made through their journey.
According to Ong, one of the most challenging parts of designing the experience was ensuring the traditional and cultural elements, which figure heavily in the story, were treated with reverence and respect.
“This story leaned very heavily on the cultural side, so we had to make sure everything was on point. For previous projects, we could just buy everything from Taobao! Here, we sourced everything from locals. All our Kuda Kepang equipment is from Johor, and our music instruments are from Negeri Sembilan,” Ong said.
He added that they collaborated with local cultural institution PUSAKA to further ensure the authenticity of all their elements.
Ong preferred not to speak much about what to expect from the attraction, recommending that participants come and experience it for themselves.
He hinted, however, that since the story was set in a dance academy, some elements of performance would be involved.
“One of the rooms there is one of the craziest ones we’ve built so far. We put in a lot of effort to build up the interior, to make it look as real as possible. A lot of people have been quite amazed with it! But I won’t say more,” Ong teased.
The attraction has been enjoying good reception so far: according to Ong, over 2,000 visitors walked through the ominous doors of the Seri Panggung in their first three weeks.
Why do Malaysians seem to enjoy getting scared so much? Ong said he believed it stemmed from a desire for novelty and suspense.
“I think a lot of us crave new and exciting things. We want to have experiences that we can never have in our everyday lives. But at the same time, most of us would rather not have an actual supernatural encounter! So this is a safe, but still fun way, of going about it,” he said.
Finally, FMT Lifestyle asked Ong for the best ways to survive the sinister forces lurking within Seri Panggung.
“Follow what the actors say. Don’t fight with them! Then you will have a good experience. A lot of the time, they are guiding you indirectly,” Ong said with a laugh.
Hauntu Seri Panggung
48, Level 2, The Curve
6, Jln PJU 7/3
Mutiara Damansara
47810 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
For more information, check out Hauntu: Seri Panggung’s website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.