'I've notched up 20 years doing one of Britain's scariest jobs - and I love it'

15 May 2023 , 22:15

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Lyndsay Hebert is a performance manager at Edinburgh Dungeon (Image: The Edinburgh Dungeon)

A woman has dedicated 20 years in what could be the UK's scariest job.

Lyndsay Hebert's chief role is to deliver the most spine-chilling experience possible for visitors at The Edinburgh Dungeon.

The performance manager, from Edinburgh, first landed a role at the dungeon in 2003 as an actor after accompanying her friend who was auditioning.

After finding out they were looking for females, Lyndsay auditioned too and got the job, reports Herts Live.

Being paid to act was always an ambition of Lyndsay’s, so doing just that straight after college was a dream come true.

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However, after a year she realised her real passion lay in writing and creating the shows rather than being one of the site’s ‘resident traitors’.

After a lot of hard work she was promoted to performance manager – a position she’s held for the last two decades.

Lyndsay is in charge of bringing infamous stories and characters from Scottish history to life, helping the actors develop and creating new shows and performances.

Lyndsay is in charge of bringing infamous stories and characters from Scottish history to life (Facebook)

Her team has grown over the years and there are now more than 30 actors at the attraction.

There is no such thing as an ordinary day at the dungeon, she said.

"Some days are writing days, where I research a period of history and work out how to incorporate this into a show," she added.

"Other days I’m looking at new gags, ways to immerse the guests and bring them as close as possible to our wealth of real Scottish history.

"I carry out costume, make-up and prop maintenance and we also have rehearsals or create soundtracks and videos. I’m often out in the city doing various scary photo shoots – honestly, no two days are the same."

She helps the actors to develop and create new shows and performances (Facebook)

Lyndsay said being creative, and exploring the history of Scotland, were among her favourite aspects of the job.

"Being able to work full time in a creative field is a dream, so the fact I get to do this every day is a real career highlight," she said.

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"I love Scotland’s history, it’s so dark and macabre, so it’s a pleasure to dive into different periods in time and learn all about the scary tales that shape the country today.

"I’ve produced more than 50 shows for the attraction, with highlights being Mary Queen of Scots, Jekyll and Hyde and our Séance show.

"Our Sawney Bean show holds a special place in my heart, as it’s been here since the attraction first opened, and what could be scarier than a cannibal?"

Laura Sharman