![]() I even got to bring home a flirty note that was passed to me by a handsome gentleman during the second act.Īs for the plot, it may seem intimidating and cumbersome to go to a show based on War & Peace (although it makes no claims about telling the entire 1440 page tale and bills itself as being based upon the “scandalous slice” of the story), but at its core it is really just a story about a young girl behaving foolishly with her heart, and who among us can’t relate to that? You do need to keep turning your head to see all the action, but you definitely also feel a part of it all, and will occasionally interact with one of the cast members, which is of course what makes it an immersive experience. Throughout the show the actors are all over the space, on both side platforms and between the two rows of cabaret tables. The show begins with a fantastic fourth-wall-busting opening number, where the cast introduces themselves, gives a quick overview of each main character, and reminds you that the show is based on War & Peace, which is “a complicated Russian novel,” and “everyone has nine names.” The actors pick up programs and show you that it includes a synopsis and a “family tree” showing how the characters relate to each other, and encourages you to use these resources so you don’t get lost, concluding with “We appreciate it, thanks a lot!” (Pro tip: if you check in on Foursquare you also get a free shot of vodka.) The venue offers a full bar and an assortment of shareable dishes, but there is absolutely no requirement to order anything, and there are several complimentary snacks served throughout the show. We were served borscht and ordered drinks. As my friend and I stood outside in the surprise 30 degree weather, waiting for the doors to open, she even remarked “I hope it’s heated in there.” Any fears quickly dissipated when we were ushered into the space, a cozy supper club atmosphere with cabaret tables set up around the perimeter and long platforms on either side. Sleep No More – the four story, nothing-off-limits, Macbeth-inspired experience that has made its home in Chelsea for nearly two years is perhaps the most ubiquitous ( read our review here), and this week I attended another that I hope will be part of the NYC theater landscape for a long time: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.Īt first glance, Kazino – the temporary structure built especially to accommodate the show – looks somewhat like a circus tent. But anyone who attends the theater often knows that immersive shows are on the rise. Which is one of those things you really can’t unsee.“Immersive” is becoming a more and more widely-used term in the theater community, although the definition may not be fully recognized by say, spell check. Though if you do that, you’re liable to miss what might best be described as a witch orgy. At this point, you’ll have the option of exploring secret rooms, examining fresh crime scenes or ripping your mask off and making a beeline for the hotel’s jazz bar. And you’ll assume the role of a terrified voyeur (shouldn’t be much of a stretch). Think of the Overlook meets the Bates Motel, set in the 1930s and placed under the ownership of a psychotic Macbeth. But basically, some guys from The Box and Purgatorio have remade the monstrous nightlife depot that used to be Twilo, Guest House and a million other clubs into a surreal interpretation of a haunted hotel. The less you know ahead of time, the better. ![]() Introducing “Sleep No More”, or what would happen if Kubrick, Hitchcock, Lynch and Bill Shakespeare got together to transform a compound of abandoned nightclubs into an immersive hotel/speakeasy/interactive play replete with extra-dry martinis and simmered sheep organs, with tickets on sale now. The kind of weird that may result in you lost inside a 100,000-square-foot cursed hotel, while wearing a Venetian mask.Īnd being stalked by a pack of angry witches… ![]() Things are getting weird on West 27th Street. ![]() Thanks also for this other review, which I copied in full here below: It was about the time when a nurse grabbed my hand, pulled me from the crowd into a private room, locked the door, and put a necklace on me saying “this will protect you from danger,” that I realized “Sleep No More” is one of the most unforgettable experiences I’ve ever had in New York City. Part of the email (shown above) that I received after buying my ticket warns “Audiences may experience intense psychological situations”.Īnd I’m paying good money for these Intense Psychological Situations!!Ī great review of Sleep No More can be read here, but the writer begins by saying: I’m attending a “play” called Sleep No More – a very non-traditional, interactive sort of theatrical experience. (Click on the above image to enlarge it so it is legible, then click your “back” arrow to return to this blog.) ![]()
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