“Sleep No More” brings unique experience to Shanghai theatre

Starting towards the end of 2016, British theatre company Punchdrunk has been attracting audiences from near and far for their interactive and immersive production “Sleep No More”. Originating in New York City, the famous play has received widespread recognition and positive reviews because of its unique method of telling a story and engaging the audience. 

“Sleep No More” is an immersive theatre show, which means that the audience are not simply rows and rows of people sitting behind an elevated stage; rather, the audience are able to freely move around and make their own way through the story. As each character’s own story unfolds, the audience members can choose to follow whichever character they find has the most interesting story. In the end, they will find that each character’s scene reveals something about himself/herself and perhaps other characters as well, thereby experiencing their own version of the story that is portrayed by the characters. 

In the case of this specific show, it tells the well-known story of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, but in the context of a 1920s noir setting and atmosphere. The play is brought to life in the McKinnon Hotel, a building that was constructed and meticulously decorated specifically for the show. The hotel consists of 5 floors, each with a multitude of rooms and settings that help convey the unsettling atmosphere of the play. 

At the beginning of the experience, audiences are required to leave their bags and coats outside, and have their phones sealed in a black bag, which is handed to each audience member. The rules are simple: no talking, no photos, and audience members are all to wear a white phantom-esque mask for the entire 3 hour ride. Most importantly, as voiced by the guide near the entry door — this is a single-person journey, and a curious attitude is essential to enjoying the story. 

As I made my way through each floor, I was immediately impressed by the amount of effort that went into the construction and decoration of each room and setting. Each floor was as spacious as a hotel floor usually is — with bedrooms, common areas, and more. The silence, together with the smoke-filled air, created a compelling atmosphere of mystery. The superb silent performance and passionate dancing by each actor was the key element that really brought the story to life. The fact that audiences were able to stand right next to the actors and move around at each scene at their own ease added something that was so unique compared to any other theatre show that I had experienced. 

Featured Image – The McKinnon Hotel sign Courtesy of Rene van Steenbergen