You might have read Macbeth in high school, but English class didn’t do the tragedy justice. For a completely new take on Shakespeare and theater in general, take a look into Sleep No More, an interactive, site-specific play located in Chelsea’s gallery district and presented by Punchdrunk, a British company that pioneered the immersive theater form.
The performance takes place in the fictional McKittrick Hotel, actually three warehouses repurposed as a six-story venue. Guests are required to wear Venetian-style carnival masks and remain silent, adding an eerie effect to the wordless play, but also freeing the audience under the veil of anonymity and letting them explore the various intricacies of the performance. The first floor contains the Manderley Bar where guests can return any time and take off their masks.
Once upstairs, you are free to explore and interact with anything in the hotel. Everyone’s experience is different and new with each visit, with simultaneous performances taking place, constantly ebbing and flowing throughout the building. If a character suddenly storms out the door, a guest can choose whether to stay and see the reaction or follow the drama somewhere else. Rooms range from ballrooms to nurseries to hospital wards, all decorated with the upmost attention to detail, so feel free to rummage through drawers and page through books.
This isn’t somewhere you are going to gain new insight into Shakespeare. The non-linear, wordless format isn’t intended to function as a single performance, rather it breaks down theater into its most primal form, just human movement and interaction and the audience interpreting it.
Read This Next
Atlanta’s Music Midtown
Entertainment
Sep 7, 2014All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All
#TrazeeTravel
Insta FeedDestinations / North America
Jun 8, 2023Thompson Hotels Debuts in Palm Springs
Hyatt Hotels Corporation recently announced plans for a 168-room Thompson Palm Springs, marking the second Thompson in California. Thompson Palm Springs plans to open later this year, boasting views of the San Jacinto Mountains and city of Palm Springs.
Sponsored Content
Discover Nashville Neighborhoods
Whether you are interested in music, art, history, food, sports or fashion, Music City has something for everyone to sing about. Nashville is accessible, friendly and authentic, with diverse neighborhoods, a storied musical heritage and a creative culture that energizes the city.
Destinations / North America
Jun 7, 2023These are America’s Most Endangered Historic Places
Each year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation releases a list of historic spots around the country it deems “at risk for destruction or irreparable damage.” This year’s list includes 11 spots ranging from single structures to cultural neighborhoods to cemeteries.
Destinations / North America
Jun 7, 20231001 Pots: Canada’s Largest Outdoor Ceramics Market
Canada’s largest outdoor ceramics market sees more than 100 ceramists from Québec and beyond come together for a total immersion into the world of ceramics, giving visitors a multisensory experience. This year, 1001 Pots runs July 7–Aug. 20, in which ceramists share their knowledge and artistic approaches to visitors daily.
Sponsored Content
Experience Ireland’s
Wild Atlantic Way
From the windy tip of Malin Head in County Donegal to the colorful harbor town of Kinsale in County Cork, Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way amazes at every turn. Feel the blast of fresh sea air with a lighthouse walk. Get up close to history, grab a fireside seat at a traditional music session, experience the world-famous Irish hospitality and explore some of Ireland's most exhilarating coastal scenery. It is a place that inspired dreamers and travelers, poets and painters with a landscape filled with stone walls, thatched cottages, deserted beaches and breathtaking views. Charming towns and villages, 1,500 miles of soaring cliffs, incredible landscapes and unique experiences await.
Destinations / North America
Jun 7, 2023Surfing Comes to Crystal Lagoons Venues Worldwide
Crystal Lagoons, a U.S.-based company developing technology to allow crystalline lagoons of any size to be built and maintained at low cost anywhere, and Ka’ana Wave Co., providing hotels, resorts and more with award-winning surf attractions, recently partnered to certify Ka’ana’s CM7-Series surf machines for installation in Crystal Lagoons amenities. Crystal Lagoons has already provided an unparalleled aquatic experience for guests worldwide, and they now bring surfing to all those keen to learn more about the sport.
ShareThis