How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse | Dark Stories Brisbane
SLIGHT SPOILERS!
I have to admit I always knew this gig was going to be a learning curve for me. You see, I’m somewhat lacking in everyday survival skills, let alone when faced with a hungry horde of flesh eaters. The only zombie film I’ve ever lasted through is Shaun of the Dead, and I don’t even know my left hand from my right sometimes. Ultimately though, we all know in this uncertain world anything can happen, hence why I prioritised How to Survive A Zombie Apocalypse as soon as it came across my radar.
I even managed to line up a fine survivalist specimen as my date for the night, but he got sick, and so I had to brave the training alone in his honour. Words cannot describe how nervous I was before I arrived, yet there was something strangely comforting about this weird ride from the get-go. A little bit university science lecture meets AA meeting, with Rocky Horror vibes on slow burn; this one was definitely a creeper.
Audience members were met at front of house by Dr Judy in her sterile lab coat with stethoscope and mood to match, accompanied by her happy go-unlucky ‘teammate’ Kristen (who we later find out Dr Judy sometimes experiments on). The remaining two team members on the panel were already inside, the charismatic founder of the School of Survival (SOS) Dr Dale, and his right hand man, survival expert, Donald Straite.
One of the best parts of this seminar for someone like me was the simplicity. The panel urged us to focus only on the facts they were there to impart. Great use was made of the lectern and some snazzy acronyms, and I found out the most efficient way of learning to fight zombies is with a theme song and signature moves. Kills ‘em dead every time. It wasn’t long however, before I realised just how serious this panel were about their survival.
On arrival we were all given a sticky dot to place on our hands, something I barely noticed. Dr Dale revealed that this dot represented our life in a simulated process of elimination. From that moment on, our lessons were interspersed amongst a series of precise questions, and our answer dictated whether we lived or died. This was a great vehicle for the mayhem that ensued, and definitely my favourite aspect of this experience.
I didn’t make it to the end, but three audience members did, and I certainly surprised myself with how long I lasted. I can’t say much more as the seminar runs until late Saturday night and I don’t want to corrupt the scientific process that must take place. However, I challenge anyone looking for something different to do tonight: get a ticket to the remaining seminar and see how long you last. Sneaky tips on the down low: use your observation skills and take advantage of question time! This production scores extra points for clearly establishing a strong connection to a varied audience of all ages and from all walks of life.
