Archive of Our Own ^beta

Basic Concept Information: The Scarecrow is the overarching villain for the haunted house as a whole. Not only is fear his thing, but he’s also the embodiment of the worst-case scenario for psychology: a doctor who views his patients as lab rats and enjoys their suffering. But for the purposes of this attraction, he has not been unmasked as a villain, and he is not called Scarecrow. Crane uses the costume as a tool to torment his test subjects, but he has not encountered Batman directly yet, and has not been given a name by the media. Crane is a doctor at Arkham for this walkthrough.

Dr. Strange would be another useful character for similar purposes.

Joker is another point of interest. For this walkthrough, he has to be in the asylum, so it needs to be abundantly clear he shouldn’t be there—especially since he’s so strongly associated with so-called insanity in popular culture. So he will be the red herring. People will go into an Arkham-style haunted house expecting Joker to be the final boss, so him just being the red herring will be a good misdirect. Maybe the walkthrough could even deliberately play into that idea at the beginning in order to make the point (Joker is not insane; Crane and Strange as the real villains of the Asylum) more pointed. Advertising will focus on Joker as the main threat.

Room Walkthrough Order:

Admissions Lobby: Welcome to Arkham (introduce mental institutions; Dr. Crane appears)

Joker’s Cell: Laughter Isn’t Healing (Joker is not legally insane)

Harley Quinn’s Therapy Office: Misuse of Power

Ventriloquist’s Cell (Ventriloquist is sometimes insane, but needs treatment from a better hospital than Arkham)

Clayface’s Cell (Clayface is not insane; also touches on history of mental illness in horror movies)

Scarecrow’s Experiment Chamber: Fear as a Weapon (Scarecrow is not insane. But he is the worst-case scenario for psychology—a doctor who sees his patients as disposable test subjects. Touches on real-world abuse in psychiatric hospitals)

Killer Croc’s Cell (Killer Croc is not usually insane, but is sent to Arkham apparently because he is deformed. Or because Arkham is inexplicably the only institution in the city with advanced cells for no apparent reason. Either way, it is bad.)

Penguin’s Absence (wealthy people are treated differently by both the legal and psychiatric system)

Two-Face’s Trial: The Courtroom (Definition of legal insanity; Two-Face has DID but is usually not legally insane; visitors vote on whether various characters are insane—then learn likely real-world verdicts)

Dr. Amadeus Arkham’s Office (focuses on the history of psychiatric hospitals and how the best intentions often went wrong)

Dr. Jeremiah Arkham’s Office: The Incompetent Administrator (focuses on failures in modern psychiatric facilities as the result of overcrowding, budget cuts, etc.)

Ivy’s Garden Cell (Political extremism is not insanity)

Mad Hatter’s Cell: The Misuse of “Madness” (Mad Hatter’s presentation is extremely inconsistent)

Riddler’s Cell: False Institutionalization (Riddler is narcissistic, but usually not insane)

Firefly’s Lair (misrepresentation of pyromania by the media)

Mr. Freeze’s Ice Block (intense grief is not insanity)

Reflection Hall: The True Horror (Mirrors warp reflections; audio of real-life misconceptions about mental illness: Scarecrow reappears for last scare)

Dr. Leslie Thompkins’ Room (What proper therapy looks like)

Exit Room: Reimagining Mental Health (examine message)

Important rules for actors playing characters:

1. Characters with mental illnesses or serious physical problems should not be played for horror (Ventriloquist, Harley, Two-Face, Croc).
2. Mentally ill characters (again, Ventriloquist) should not be played for humor.
3. Joker: be as Joker as you like, but always remember that you are playing a sane character weaponizing madness for laughs. Joker absolutely CAN be played for horror…but carefully. Joker is not mentally ill. And once again for the Joker actor: Joker is not insane. He is not mentally ill. The performance must reflect this. Joker’s casting has to be done well. The association between Joker and “insanity” is very strong, and the actor has to be sure their performance doesn’t reinforce the idea. It will be the trickiest role to cast, and should be cast the most carefully.
4. Two-Face: Actors should research DID and the judicial system, or at least get a crash course in both. DID should be portrayed as realistically as possible while still being recognizable as Two-Face. The actor should be confident in discussing the relationship between mental health and the law. DO NOT overplay the “evil” alter. No constant shouting.
5. The “research DID” should be required for the Scarface actor too.
6. For Ivy: keep the angry ranting to a minimum. We don’t want the uninformed audience to start thinking you might actually be “crazy”. Research environmentalism—it’s important to your character. And underline this: don’t flirt with the audience. They are not Batman; Ivy does not need to weaponize her beauty here. The costume should be designed with this in mind as well.
7. Harley Quinn: Research psychology. You are playing a psychologist. Look up symptoms of HPD/BPD/DPD (Harley shows signs of all three). UNDERSTAND ABUSE AND ITS EFFECTS. Do not play for comedy.
8. Killer Croc: Keep the growling to a minimum. Don’t let the costume act for you. Remember you are playing a person, not an animal. Research the history of marginalized groups in mental health institutions.
9. Riddler: You can inject some humor for this, but don’t go overboard. We don’t want Riddler looking like Joker, nor do we want the uniformed audience to think he might really be insane. Research NPD, OCPD, and the history of false institutionalization (not an exact diagnostic match, but autism might be interesting to look into). Research riddles/puzzles—this is the most important thing to Edward, so you should know about it. No ranting.
10. Mr. Freeze: Don’t let the suit act for you. Don’t go overboard on emotional deadness (think Ansara from B: TAS and you are doing well.) Research grief and how it is sometimes medicalized. Research depression as well.
11. Firefly: Okay, here you CAN go over-the-top, because that’s the point. Firefly is not a realistic depiction of pyromania (and the room will make this clear)—so just go nuts. Don’t let the suit act for you.
12. Clayface: Research body dysmorphia; dissociative disorders, etc. Research the history of mental illness in horror (the character will be discussing this as inaccurate). Karlo is a bit of a ham actor, so you can be flamboyant–but don’t go over the top. Treat the body dysmorphia and identity confusion seriously. Don’t let the suit act for you.
13. Mad Hatter. Research schizophrenia. Research the imprecise use of mental health terminology. Be familiar with Alice in Wonderland.
14. Dr. Leslie Thompkins: Research as much as you can about psychology, but especially about effective therapy methods. Don’t play into the sweet old lady role too much. Don’t be impossibly sweet.
15. Dr. Amadeus Arkham: You can play for horror, but this should be secondary to regret. Research the tragic history of mental health facilities. Remember that you are playing a ghost who established Arkham in the late 19th century. Avoid modern terminology and definitely avoid modern slang. Don’t play for cackling malice.
16. Dr. Jeremiah Arkham. Can be played for comedy, in moderation. Don’t make him a cackling sadist or a cruel bureaucrat. Aim for frustrated, tired, overworked. Research the current problems with psychiatric facilities. Use proper psychiatric terminology.
17. Dr. Strange (voice over, not physically present). Research abuse in institutions, particularly of the more organizational, less direct variety. Be cold, calculating, and in control. No ranting. No laughter. Play for horror—but do it subtly. Use proper psychiatric terminology.
18. Corrupt/Abusive orderlies: Try to not come across as interchangeable. Don’t be so cruel you become cartoonish– small acts of cruelty can be more effective. Research the history of mistreatment from orderlies in psychiatric hospitals.
19. Scarecrow (Research): Probably the most important role in the whole experience. Research fear. Your character knows everything about it—and how to weaponize it. Research abuse in institutions—focusing on the more direct type (since Strange is covering the more organizational variety). Look into lobotomies (Walter Jackson Freeman II), electroshock therapy, psychologists who deliberately manipulated their patients—and the mass murder of psychiatric patients in Nazi Germany.
20. Scarecrow (performance): You are not insane. You are in control. Be precise in speech and language. Never raise your voice. Do not shriek or cackle. Your job is to embody fear and institutional abuse, not be a caricature of them. Use proper psychiatric terminology.
21. Unnamed Patients: RESEARCH mental illnesses (and what it’s like to be institutionalized). Do not play for comedy or horror. Be grounded. Do not scream or shriek unless justified (e.g., if you are playing an inmate who is abused by a guard or subjected to Scarecrow’s fear toxin.)
22. Penguin: Educated; quotes Shakespeare; polished; smug. Research how the wealthy receive different mental health care than the less fortunate.

Costume Design Notes:

1. Do not sexualize Ivy. (This is a part of her character, but sexy costumes will distract from the primary point being made in this experience.)
2. Do not sexualize Harley Quinn. (See Ivy.)
3. Do not go over-the-top with Killer Croc. Make sure he still looks human, not like a small Godzilla.
4. Do not let Clayface’s visual design distract from the actor or the message.
5. The same rule applies to Mr. Freeze.
6. Mad Hatter: Strange costumes are okay, but don’t go overboard.
7. Firefly: go nuts. Over-the-top is the point.
8. Ventriloquist: Do not make Wesker or Scarface (the puppet) look silly.
9. Two-Face: Use the black/white suit from B: TAS. Make the scarring disturbing, but not so gory it distracts from the message. Keep the coin looking normal.
10. Riddler: Flashy, flamboyant—but not comedic. B: TAS suit is a useful model.
11. Dr. Leslie Thompkins: Don’t make her a grandmother.
12. Jeremiah Arkham: Look rundown and tired, but still professionally dressed. No labcoat.
13. Hugo Strange (possibly on screens): Don’t make him a mad scientist. No lab coat. Keeps his creepy glasses; but professionally dressed (a more put-together Jeremiah).
14. Staff uniform design: Keep it uniform. We don’t want people remembering how weird one orderly looked. No mad scientists; no prison guard uniforms. Reference real psychiatric orderly outfits.
15. Joker: Go nuts. Joker is Joker, and he has a reputation to uphold (also important for the twist).
16. Patients who aren’t named: uniforms (see real-world psychiatric hospital uniforms). Do not make the patients monsters. Do not make them stand out more than the main cast (Two-Face, etc).
17. Scarecrow (costume): Less is more. Keep the scarecrow motif, but don’t make it silly, and don’t make it look like a slasher movie costume. Subtle horror.
18. Dr. Crane costume (separate from the above): Professional. Neat. In control. Lab coat can be worn, but it must look like a real lab coat.
19. Dr. Amadeus Arkham: Should accurately represent a medical professional from the late 19th/early 20th century (look up photos). Do not play for horror; do not make him a mad scientist. No steampunk. Be as historically accurate as possible. Don’t go overboard with ghost special effects. Less is more.
20. Penguin costume (on screen): Comic-accurate, but not played for humor. Should look rich and put-together.

Room setup (overview):

1. Avoid excessive blood.
2. Avoid soundtracks of screaming and laughing. Don’t use strobe lighting or fog (Scarecrow section is an exception).
3. Victorian theming is appropriate but should not be overdone. It should emphasize lack of progress more than horror. The building should feel similar to Amadeus Arkham in that sense.
4. Don’t overplay electroshock therapy, restraints, or medication. Less is more. When unethical treatment methods are shown, make them as realistic as possible (research historical and modern mistreatment of patients). Obviously, the fear toxin will be dramatic—which is why the rest needs to be grounded.
5. Economize on bars and handcuffs–this is not a prison.
6. Building needs to feel weighed down by history. Research mental institutions that were built in the 19th century.

Prop List:

ROOM-BY-ROOM PROPS

Admissions Lobby

• Clipboard with guest name prewritten
• Number tickets for audience interaction

Joker’s Cell

• Straitjacketed doll
• Faux blood-stained chair
• Torn joke pages/posters
• Playing cards (optional)

Harley Quinn’s Office

• Torn diploma
• Cracked glasses
• Audio log player or tape reels
• Spiral notebook of ‘therapy’ notes

Scarecrow’s Lab

• Doctor’s clipboard with mock files
• Pen
• Mannequin restraints (rubber/leather)
• Sample vials and fog-emitting tech

Common Room

• Scarface puppet (ventriloquist-controlled)
• Two-Face’s coin (metal or plastic replica)
• Playing cards, broken clock, tally marks on walls

Ivy’s Garden Cell

• Vines (artificial but flexible)
• Gardening gloves
• Seed packets and planters (real or fake soil)

Killer Croc’s Holding Cell

• Chains (foam or plastic-safe)
• Water basin or dripping sound fixture
• Torn fabric from past restraints

Riddler’s Cell

• Light-up puzzle panel or keypad
• Notecards with riddles
• Chalk for wall scribbles

Firefly’s Chamber

• Burnt firefighter mask (prop only)
• Ignition trigger belt (non-functional)
• Charred debris

Mr. Freeze’s Containment Pod

• Music box playing “Nora’s Theme”
• Cryo canister prop (with fog feature)
• Frosted glass

Courtroom

• Gavel (rubber or wood)
• Projection setup for mugshots
• Microphones or podium (non-functional)

Reflection Hall

• Mirrored walls with light distortion overlays
• Audio playback device

Final Hallway (Crane Reveal)

• Hidden speaker system for voiceover
• Red lighting strip for heartbeat effect

Exit Room (Dr. Thompkins)

• Therapy flyers and pamphlets
• Comic-style zine (“The Real Heroes Get Help”)
• Table with QR code display

CHARACTER-SPECIFIC HANDHELD PROPS

• Two-Face: Coin (weighted optional)
• Ventriloquist: Scarface puppet
• Dr. Jonathan Crane: Clipboard and pen
• Orderlies: Carry satchels with mock med charts, soft restraints
• Dr. Jeremiah Arkham: Case files or worn folder
• Mr. Freeze: Detachable cryo emitter (fog-safe)
• Riddler: Notecard deck of riddles or puzzles
• Harley Quinn: Spiral notebook, pen, torn ID badge
• Joker: Playing cards, optional flower sprayer

Performance Rules:

This will not be an R-rated experience.

1. No sex (except in discussions of sexual misconduct in mental health facilities)
2. No swearing (maybe an exception for Croc, but no hard swears).
3. Violence is realistic, not sensationalized.
4. No use of words like psycho, retard, loony, or incorrect diagnostic labels—unless the character using them is antagonistic. (Joker can use them as much as he wants, unless someone in the audience as an intellectual disability or similar; orderlies can insult patients; Penguin can say people in Arkham are nuts).
5. Amadeus Arkham can use outdated terminology if it is period-accurate for the late 19th/early 20th century, but should not be rude.
6. Be ready to adjust for specific guests. If middle/high school groups visit, tone down language and horror. If a specific group contains individuals with conditions such as Down’s Syndrome, ADHD, ASD, etc., adjust SFX accordingly and make sure actors avoid words like retard (even if playing antagonist).
7. There should also be a specific policy in place for physically disabled visitors.

Physical appearance suggestions (not hardline, but general):

1. The Scarecrow (Crane): ~45-60 years old. Reasonably thin (necessary for Scarecrow persona)
2. Dr. Amadeus Arkham; ~60 years old (ghost)
3. Dr. Jeremiah Arkham: ~40 years old. Should bear some resemblance to Amadeus.
4. Dr. Hugo Strange: ~45-60 years old. Beard preferable.
5. Harley Quinn: ~30-35 years old. Clearly a grown woman. We don’t want to infantilize her.
6. Ivy: ~45-50 years old. Don’t cast based on how attractive the actress is.
7. Killer Croc: ~25-35. African American (as Waylon is canonically). Height preferable but not mandatory
8. Joker: Can be any age under 60. Should be reasonably thin for character reasons.
9. Dr. Thompkins: ~55. We want to avoid grandmother vibes.
10. Clayface–height preferable but not mandatory. ~55
11. Mad Hatter—shortness preferable but not required. ~40-45
12. Two-Face: ~30-45.
13. Mr. Freeze: ~55-65. Be sure you can wear the suit.
14. Firefly: ~35. Be sure you can wear the suit.

Joker’s actor will give the list of behavioral requirements for the cast before the experience …in-character, of course.