The Bizarre Hotel's Bold 3-Hour 'Sleep No More' Opens... "Visitors, Experience It Yourself"

[Financial News] The ominous phrase 'Sleep No More' is written on top of a massive 7-story building. As the phrase suggests, once you enter the building, 'it will keep you awake.' 
In the isolated 'Makyitan Hotel', visitors return their belongings and plunge into a 'bizarre world' detached from reality. Due to the dim interior and smoke emitted from all directions, even if you feel your way along the corridor walls, a different time and space unfolds before your eyes as you walk. 
Upon entering the hotel, visitors have no choice. Some must take the elevator, while others must climb the stairs. The floors of the elevator are hidden, so you don't know where you'll get off. 
All visitors, except the actors, must wear white masks and cannot speak. The actors perform intimate scenes exclusively for one visitor, making it a matter of luck. It's common to miss iconic scenes when pushed by the crowd. 



However, just as life offers second chances, unexpected opportunities arise when you follow the actors again. For example, although ignored by the bald witch after following her for a long time, you might have an unforgettable experience dancing one-on-one with the young witch in the ballroom. 
Felix Barrett, the director of 'Sleep No More Seoul' and founder of Punchdrunk, said at a media conference held on the 20th at the Makyitan Hotel in Chungmuro, Seoul, "Visitors can follow Macbeth's characters or surrounding figures and explore the entire building. There is no right or wrong," presenting the viewing points of this performance.
In addition to Felix Barrett, seven people attended the conference, including Park Joo-young, CEO of the production company Miss Jackson, and Maxine Doyle, co-director and choreographer of Punchdrunk.


'Sleep No More', which reinterprets the story of William Shakespeare's tragedy 'Macbeth' in the style of an Alfred Hitchcock film, is regarded as a work that gave birth to the genre of immersive theater, first premiered in London, UK, in 2003. 
This performance, which has landed in Korea following New York, USA, and Shanghai, China, features a total of 23 characters. Visitors can decide where to go and what to see, freely exploring the 7-story Makyitan Hotel during the 3-hour performance.
In other words, the entire building becomes a theater where visitors can roam and directly see and experience the story. The 'non-verbal' method, which conveys the story through the actors' gestures and movements without dialogue, is also a feature. Visitors can watch their gestures from any desired distance. The work includes bold scenes such as the actors' full nudity.
Director Felix Barrett emphasized that immersive theater is "not just a performance but creating a world," and "this environment is a living, breathing place where visitors can follow the narrative as they wish and embark on an exploration." 
'Sleep No More' is a line from Act 2, Scene 2 of Macbeth. It is considered a key phrase showing Macbeth's state of mind, engulfed in anxiety and guilt after murdering King Duncan.


Felix Barrett explained, "The title is meant to express Macbeth's belief in superstition, mental derangement, and the supernatural," and "I hope the title conveys the magical feeling of the ambiguous boundary between being awake and asleep." 
Park Joo-young, CEO of Miss Jackson, said of this performance, "Macbeth is a work that shows the primal desire for human power. To properly show the theme of such a work, it must also be visually displayed," adding, "This is a part that no existing Korean performance has attempted. It will be a new stimulus and inspiration for the audience."


He added, "It's not just watching a performance, but experiencing it as if you are inside a movie," and "I expect that there will be as many new attempts in the creative domain of domestic production teams."
Having completed the preview performance, 'Sleep No More Seoul' began its main performance on the 21st, with the closing date yet to be determined. Only those aged 19 and over can attend, and the running time is a total of 180 minutes.

rsunjun@fnnews.com Yuseon Jun Reporter