Sleep No More (2011 play)

Last updated

Sleep No More
Sleep No More mask.jpg
One of the audience masks used in the production.
Written by Punchdrunk
Directed byFelix Barrett and Maxine Doyle
Date premieredMarch 7, 2011 (2011-03-07)
Place premieredMcKittrick Hotel, 530 West 27th Street, New York City
Original languageEnglish (mostly mute)
SettingMcKittrick Hotel and environs, Gallow Green, Glamis, Forfar, Scotland
Official site

Sleep No More is the New York City production of an immersive theatre work created by the British theatre company Punchdrunk. It is based primarily on William Shakespeare's Macbeth , with additional inspiration taken from noir films (especially those of Alfred Hitchcock) and the 1697 Paisley witch trials. Its title comes from Macbeth Act II, Scene II, Lines 33–4: "Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more,/ Macbeth does murder sleep'". [1]

Contents

After incarnations in London in 2003 and Brookline, Massachusetts in 2009, Sleep No More was launched in New York City in collaboration with Emursive and began performances on March 7, 2011. Sleep No More won the 2011 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience [2] and won Punchdrunk special citations at the 2011 Obie Awards for design and choreography. [3] [4]

Sleep No More adapts the story of Macbeth, deprived of nearly all spoken dialogue and set primarily in a dimly-lit, 1930s-era establishment called the McKittrick Hotel. The production is best characterized as immersive theatre, as it is designed for audience members to move throughout the performance space and interact with props at their own pace; however, the actions of audience members are generally ignored by the performers and do not impact the story.

In November 2023, Emursive announced a final performance date of January 28, 2024, [5] but the production was subsequently extended throughout 2024. [6] In October 2024, a final performance date of January 5, 2025 was announced [7] along with a trio of farewell parties entitled APPARITIONS scheduled for January 2025. [8]

Format

Sleep No More is unlike most theatrical productions, in that the audience wanders at their own pace throughout a set populated by actors. As such, it can be categorized as immersive theatre, promenade theatre, and environmental theatre. It is not, strictly speaking, interactive theatre, because although the audience may move through the settings, interact with the props, or observe the actors at their own pace, their presence has no bearing on the story or the performers except in rare instances.

Despite its aesthetics and theming, Sleep No More is not a haunted attraction, although it does feature dark and supernatural elements and audience members are warned that they might experience "intense psychological situations." [9]

Audience members are given a mask upon entering that they are expected to wear at all times during the performance. They are also forbidden to talk outside of the entry and exit point of the show, the Manderley Bar. [10] Otherwise very little direction is given to audience members about what to expect or how they should interact with the show. The audience is given no programme and the production "leads its audience on a merry, macabre chase up and down stairs, and through minimally illuminated, furniture-cluttered rooms and corridors." [11]

Production Overview

A prop letter from Macbeth to Lady Macbeth Sleep No More letter.jpg
A prop letter from Macbeth to Lady Macbeth

Sleep No More was first produced at the Beaufoy Building in London in 2003 and was later renewed in a 2009 collaboration with Boston's American Repertory Theatre at the Old Lincoln School in Brookline, Massachusetts. [4]

In its New York City production, Sleep No More is set in the fictitious McKittrick Hotel, whose website claims that it has been recently "restored" [12] but which is actually a block of warehouses in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood transformed into a hotel-like performance space. The McKittrick Hotel consists of five floors, throughout which the action of Sleep No More takes place simultaneously. Not all rooms or floors are related to the hotel theming – spaces in the McKittrick include a graveyard, a hospital/asylum, and the mainstreet of a small town. Various papers, pamphlets and menus inside the performance space and at the building's dining establishments identify the show's setting (indoors and "outdoors") as the fictitious town of Gallow Green, Glamis, Forfar, Scotland. The name of the town and some of the characters (as seen in prop letters found in the performance space, and the show's souvenir program) are references to the Paisley witch trials.

Entrance

Guests enter the performance space through large double-doors, unmarked except for a small plaque. After a coat check, they "check-in" to the hotel at a themed reception desk and are given a playing card, which is used to determine when they will enter the show. They then proceed upstairs through a small, dimly-lit maze, symbolizing their journey back in time. At the other end is the Manderley, a themed hotel jazz bar, where they will wait until called to enter the show. Once guests are called, they are told a few rules, handed a mask, and escorted either onto an elevator or to a stairwell to begin their show experience.

Setting

Upon leaving the elevator, guests may wander through any of the five visitable floors of settings. These floors and the characters that frequently inhabit them consist of, from the top down:

Recorded music, either period (such as tunes by the Ink Spots or Glenn Miller), ambient (composed by Punchdrunk sound designer Stephen Dobbie), or orchestral (mostly consisting of Bernard Herrmann's scores to Alfred Hitchcock films) plays steadily throughout the entire building at all times. Other sound effects, such as thunderclaps or bells, happen simultaneously on most floors as well, though with different volumes relative to the area of the performance where the sounds originate.

There is a small performance space on the sixth floor as well, but it is not open to guests unless they are selected by a performer for a special one-on-one interaction.

Story and Characters

Over the course of the guests' three-hour evening, each character plays a one-hour loop, returning to their initial location at the close of every hour, repeated roughly three times. Some characters are more stationary in their loops, while others are very active across multiple floors of the building.

Temporary characters who appeared for a limited time include:

Actors

The rotating cast of roughly 25 actors (including bar staff) adopt the dress and aesthetic style of the late 1930s, inspired by the shadowy and anxious atmosphere of film noir. The performers wear no masks and perform in silent group settings, solitary scenes, and often choreographed dances. Upon making a connection (usually eye contact) with a specific audience member of their choosing, a character might lead them into a small, private encounter, be it telling a story, quoting a work of Shakespeare or Hitchcock, or giving them a quest or task to complete. These interactions have been dubbed "one-on-ones" or "1:1s" by frequent visitors.

Reception

Critical response

Critics have favorably compared the production to other works from a wide range of media, with New York Magazine's Scott Brown referencing BioShock , Lost , Inception , and M. C. Escher, and The New York Times Ben Brantley referencing Stanley Kubrick, Joseph Cornell, David Lynch and Disney's Haunted Mansion. [10] The production is mostly wordless, prompting The New Yorker's Hilton Als to write: "Because language is abandoned outside the lounge, we’re forced to imagine it, or to make narrative cohesion of events that are unfolding right before our eyes. We can only watch as the performers reduce theatre to its rudiments: bodies moving in space. Stripped of what we usually expect of a theatrical performance, we’re drawn more and more to the panic the piece incites, and the anxiety that keeps us moving from floor to floor." [14] Testimonials for Sleep No More have also been given by such celebrities as Neil Patrick Harris, Emma Stone, Leslie Odom, Jr., Evan Rachel Wood, and Aaron Paul, all of whom have also appeared as guest characters in the production.

The show has received positive reviews in several publications including, The New York Times , [11] New York Magazine , [10] The New York Post , [15] and Time Out New York , [16] as well as a critical essay in The New Yorker and the cover article of the August 2011 Vanity Fair . [17]

Audience response

As of March 2021, Sleep No More currently has an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars on Yelp, based on 1,284 reviews, with 70% of all reviews being 4 stars or above. [18] Similarly, on TripAdvisor, Sleep No More has garnered 1,625 customer reviews, with 77% being either 4 or 5 stars. [19] Many longtime fans of the show (some of whom have visited the McKittrick over 100 times) have also created dedicated blogs on sites such as Tumblr, where they share their experiences, reviews, and derivative fan works based on the show, story, characters, and cast. [20]

Controversy

Actors have alleged sexual misconduct by audience members. [21] [22]

Shanghai

On July 13, 2016, Punchdrunk announced that Sleep No More would make its Asian premiere in Shanghai in December of the same year. This would be the first co-production between Punchdrunk International and Chinese company SMG Live. [23] The original creative team behind Punchdrunk's Sleep No More all worked on the Shanghai production, but the company is made up of long-term Punchdrunk collaborators as well as Chinese performers working with Punchdrunk for the first time.

The Shanghai production of Sleep No More is housed in a disused building five stories high, renamed the "McKinnon Hotel", in the Jing'an District of the city. It combines the original story from Macbeth with Chinese folk myths.

Related Research Articles

<i>Macbeth</i> Play by William Shakespeare

The Tragedy of Macbeth, often shortened to Macbeth, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power. Of all the plays that Shakespeare wrote during the reign of James I, Macbeth most clearly reflects his relationship with King James, patron of Shakespeare's acting company. It was first published in the Folio of 1623, possibly from a prompt book, and is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy.

<i>Macbeth</i> (1971 film) 1971 film by Roman Polanski

Macbeth is a 1971 historical drama film directed by Roman Polanski, and co-written by Polanski and Kenneth Tynan. A film adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name, it tells the story of the Highland lord who becomes King of Scotland through treachery and murder. Jon Finch and Francesca Annis star as the title character and his wife, noted for their relative youth as actors. Themes of historic recurrence, greater pessimism and internal ugliness in physically beautiful characters are added to Shakespeare's story of moral decline, which is presented in a more realistic style.

Fleance is a figure in legendary Scottish history. He was depicted by 16th-century historians as the son of Lord Banquo, Thane of Lochaber, and the ancestor of the kings of the House of Stuart. Fleance is best known as a character in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, in which the Three Witches prophesy that Banquo's descendants shall be kings. Some screen adaptations of the story expand on Fleance's role by showing his return to the kingdom after Macbeth's death.

<i>Macbeth</i> (Verdi) Opera by Giuseppe Verdi

Macbeth is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi, with an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and additions by Andrea Maffei, based on William Shakespeare's play of the same name. Written for the Teatro della Pergola in Florence, Macbeth was Verdi's tenth opera and premiered on 14 March 1847. It was the first Shakespeare play that Verdi adapted for the operatic stage. Almost twenty years later, Macbeth was revised and expanded into a French version and given in Paris on 21 April 1865.

<i>Macbeth</i> (1948 film) 1948 film by Orson Welles

Macbeth is a 1948 American historical drama directed by Orson Welles. A film adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name, it tells the story of the Scottish general who becomes the King of Scotland through treachery and murder. The film stars Welles in the lead role and Jeanette Nolan as Lady Macbeth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macduff's son</span> Fictional character

Macduff's son is a character in William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth (1606). His name and age are not established in the text; however, he is estimated to be 7–10 years of age. He is Shakespeare's typical child character—cute and clever. While Lady Macduff and her children are mentioned in Holinshed's Chronicles as the innocent victims of Macbeth's cruelty, Shakespeare is completely responsible for developing Macduff's son as a character. The boy appears in only one scene (4.2).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macbeth (character)</span> Character in Macbeth

Lord Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis and quickly the Thane of Cawdor, is the title character and main protagonist in William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The character is loosely based on the historical king Macbeth of Scotland and is derived largely from the account in Holinshed's Chronicles (1577), a compilation of British history.

Punchdrunk is a British theatre company, formed in 2000 by Felix Barrett.

Interactive theatre is a presentational or theatrical form or work that breaks the "fourth wall" that traditionally separates the performer from the audience both physically and verbally.

Voodoo <i>Macbeth</i> Production of Macbeth adapted and directed by Orson Welles

The Voodoo Macbeth is a common nickname for the Federal Theatre Project's 1936 New York production of William Shakespeare's Macbeth. Orson Welles adapted and directed the production, moved the play's setting from Scotland to a fictional Caribbean island, recruited an entirely Black cast, and earned the nickname for his production from the Haitian vodou that fulfilled the role of Scottish witchcraft. A box office sensation, the production is regarded as a landmark theatrical event for several reasons: its innovative interpretation of the play, its success in promoting African-American theatre, and its role in securing the reputation of its 20-year-old director.

Sleep No More is an immersive theatre production created by British theatre company Punchdrunk. Based on Punchdrunk's original 2003 London production, the company reinvented Sleep No More in a co-production with the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), which opened at the Old Lincoln School in Brookline, Massachusetts on October 8, 2009. It won Punchdrunk the Elliot Norton Award for Best Theatrical Experience 2010.

Macbeth is a 1979 videotaped version of Trevor Nunn's Royal Shakespeare Company production of the play by William Shakespeare. Produced by Thames Television, it features Ian McKellen as Macbeth and Judi Dench as Lady Macbeth. The TV version was directed by Philip Casson.

Careena Melia is an Irish-American actress.

<i>Macbeth</i> (2015 film) Film directed by Justin Kurzel

Macbeth is a 2015 epic historical drama film directed by Justin Kurzel and written for the screen by Todd Louiso, Jacob Koskoff, and Michael Lesslie, based on the Shakespeare play. The film stars Michael Fassbender in the title role and Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth, with Paddy Considine, Sean Harris, Jack Reynor, Elizabeth Debicki and David Thewlis in supporting roles. The story follows the Scottish lord's rise to power after receiving a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Like the play it was adapted from, the film dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake.

<i>The Drowned Man</i> Original theatre production

The Drowned Man was an original theatre production by British theatre company Punchdrunk, in collaboration with the Royal National Theatre.

Audience immersion is a storytelling technique which attempts to make the audience feel as though they are a part of the story or performance, a state which may be referred to as "transportation" into the narrative, permitting high levels of suspension of disbelief. Audience immersion may be used to enhance learning or to create a more realistic experience. Various methods may be employed to this end, including narrative perspective in writing or technical design in the performing arts. An early example of audience immersion is from the 1846 travelogue Pictures from Italy by Charles Dickens, in which the narrator, speaking in the first person, addresses the reader using second-person pronouns, allowing the reader to "picture themselves with Dickens as he travels."

Cultural references to <i>Macbeth</i>

The tragic play Macbeth by William Shakespeare has appeared and been reinterpreted in many forms of art and culture since it was written in the early 17th century.

Immersive theater differentiates itself from traditional theater by removing the stage and immersing audiences within the performance itself. Often, this is accomplished by using a specific location (site-specific), allowing audiences to converse with the actors and interact with their surroundings (interactive), thereby breaking the fourth wall.

<i>The Tragedy of Macbeth</i> (2021 film) Film by Joel Coen

The Tragedy of Macbeth is a 2021 American historical thriller film written, directed and produced by Joel Coen, based on the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. It is the first film directed by one of the Coen brothers without the other's involvement. The film stars Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell, Corey Hawkins, Harry Melling, Kathryn Hunter, and Brendan Gleeson.

The McKittrick Hotel is a performing arts venue themed as a 1930's hotel in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. It is located at 530 West 27th Street and is best known as the setting of the immersive theater production Sleep No More. It has also featured a bar and dining space known as Gallow Green on the roof, a restaurant called the Heath on the sixth floor, and the Manderley bar on the second floor. In addition to Sleep No More, it has been used as a venue for a number of parties, performances, and special events.

References

  1. Shakespeare, William; Gurr, Andrew; Cohen, Walter; Howard, Jean E.; Maus, Katharine Eisaman (1997). Greenblatt, Stephen (ed.). The Norton Shakespeare: based on the Oxford edition. New York: Norton. p. 2578. ISBN   978-0-393-97086-9.
  2. Jones, Kenneth (24 May 2011). "Drama Desk Awards Go to Book of Mormon, Normal Heart, War Horse, Sutton Foster, Norbert Leo Butz". Playbill. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  3. "11". Obie Awards. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Sleep No More by Punchdrunk | Immersive Live Shows Experience". www.punchdrunk.com. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  5. Soloski, Alexis (8 November 2023). "'Sleep No More' to Close in January". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  6. Rosenfield, Lauren (21 October 2024). "'Sleep No More' Megafans Face End of an Addictive Show". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  7. Lang, Brent (31 October 2024). "'Sleep No More' Sets Final Performance After Closure Was Delayed a Year (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  8. "APPARITIONS: The Final Farewell Party". mckittrickhotel.com. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  9. "Guest Advisement for Sleep No More"
  10. 1 2 3 "The Freakily Immersive Experience of Sleep No More", New York Magazine, April 15, 2011
  11. 1 2 "Shakespeare Slept Here, Albeit Fitfully", New York Times, April 13, 2011
  12. "Our Story | Discover the Fascinating History of The McKittrick Hotel". mckittrickhotel.com. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  13. "A Guinea Pig's Night at the Theater (Published 2012)". 22 May 2012. Archived from the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  14. "Shadow and Act", The New Yorker, May 2, 2011
  15. "Something Wickedly Good", The New York Post, April 13, 2011
  16. "Theatre Review: Sleep No More", Time Out New York, April 15, 2011
  17. "Hollywood Is Her Oyster", Vanity Fair, July 5, 2011
  18. "Sleep No More – Chelsea – New York, NY". Yelp. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  19. "Sleep No More (New York City)". TripAdvisor. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  20. Burton, Tara Isabella (29 September 2015). "Losing Sleep with the Superfans of Sleep No More". Narratively. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  21. Alexis Soloski (12 February 2018). "The problem with immersive theatre: why actors need extra protection from sexual assault". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  22. Emma Burnell (29 May 2018). "Immersive theatre may be sexy – but we need to start talking about consent". The Independent. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  23. Swain, Marianka. "Punchdrunk Announces Asian Premiere with SLEEP NO MORE in Shanghai". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 1 December 2016.