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A Detour Into The Burnt City
This review will be an in-depth discussion of some high level aspects of The Burnt City including but not limited to the characters, major plot points, set, and show structure. It also touches on some 1:1s, but does not discuss any of the specific moments and only generally references which characters might offer them. Also some gratuitous comparisons and mentions of Sleep No More.
As a recent convert to Sleep No More, I sought out to see if I could find the magic in a new place, seeking refuge in Troy and Mycenae for two weeks to see Punchdrunk’s newest creation, The Burnt City. To say that I was excited was an understatement: as a Greek mythology junkie, I was beyond exhilarated to learn about this new project’s take on old stories. In the weeks before my flight over to London, I ate up reviews, particularly fostering a lot of anticipation from Scorched The Snake and Constant Satellite’s analyses, both of which are written quite elegantly. My nearly one day spent in the halls of the Woolwich space did not disappoint. It took me a while to fall in love with the show – I came away from my first visit thinking there was no way it would stand up to Sleep No More – but with each subsequent entrance into Troy’s labyrinthine corridors or Mycenae’s grand expanse I fell harder and harder.
One of the immediate challenges in adopting Greek mythology for immersive theatre is the absolute scale of the source material. Macbeth takes place over nine days; the Trojan War lasts more than nine years. Despite this challenge, Punchdrunk's interpretation is nothing short of epic. There are limitations to this media, and so The Burnt City takes its interpretive liberties: the actual warfare is flattened into mere minutes (eschewing the fabled Trojan Horse); rather, the focus is on the themes of sacrifice and the brutal costs of war. And these moments are indeed the pinnacles of the show – the sacrifices of Iphigenia and Polyxena are two of the biggest scenes. As a result, the material of this show and its themes of grief, fury, and vengeance make for a grim experience, sans the flirtatious and playful moments of Sleep No More. The show is ostensibly about the parallels between two mothers – Hecuba and Clytemnestra – who grieve over the death of their children and seek to execute revenge, yet with surprisingly different nuances.
Clytemnestra's story in Mycenae is incredibly accessible; you can spend two loops there and truly have seen most of its story. Part of this is from a character imbalance; Mycenae starts with just over half as many characters as Troy and loses several more when the war breaks out. But most of this is easily explained by an ambitiously vast and empty space. You can stand in one spot during a loop in Mycenae and see most of the critical scenes all at once from a bird's eye view – everything that happens on the long table to Iphigenia's bedroom to the Czech hedgehogs below. The choreography truly takes advantage of this openness to provide a wide lens that basks in the action. Movement here is dynamic as ever and truly takes advantage of the space to the point that you will be twisting your head back and forth to be able to capture everything at once. The choice to make Mycenae such an open desolate space triumphs thematically, but only works with the addition of more traditionally styled Troy – I felt entranced by the grand, Denis Villeneuve movie-like scenes, without the anxiety of missing too much of Mycenae on my first few visits. But by the end of my trip, Mycenae's mysteries had seemed to all but revealed themselves and Troy's complexity and more restricted setting instead beckoned me.
Troy is a bursting city, filled with warm neon light, tight corridors, and an intricate web of space that feels thoroughly lived in, akin to High Street in Sleep No More. Here, two major stories appear to clash in a thematic way, as the main narrative following Polymestor's cunning is abruptly interrupted by the arrival of the Greek invading army. The space feels much closer to Sleep No More's fare: a series of more self-contained, interlocking stories that run into one another. Unlike Mycenae, in which I would argue every character save one is integral to the operating story there, Troy is a mixture of the main Hecuba-based stories and non-canonical characters that have deeply interesting and often insightful narratives, but may not be directly related to the principle narrative (think Banquo vs. Fulton). The set design in Troy is intricate and beautiful, but the narrow hallways and multitude of characters can make for a frustratingly crowded experience, let alone a very hot, almost hazardous space for the audience and performers alike (recent performances over the past month have been truncated to only two loops given the heat wave).
The show is further entangled by Hades and Persephone, who do not traditionally loop and instead perform a single narrative in the entire show. In a way, this subverts the existing Punchdrunk model and it is one of their most successful additions to the show. I highly recommend following one of these characters through their entire narrative after a few shows of familiarizing yourself to the space – it is one of the most fascinating meta-stories that I have witnessed and a complex and emotional interpretation of a classic folktale. Persephone's story particularly is some of the best narrative storytelling I have witnessed in all theatre. It is exciting to see Punchdrunk create characters who actively engage, test, and rebel against the loop structure, and I am truly excited to see what new innovations they will take on their future projects to subvert their traditional mores. Hades and Persephone's storyline also features a 1:1 that absolutely blew my mind and completely changed my perspective on the show and is a key part of canonizing the loops in a way that Sleep No More does not explicitly answer.
1:1s appear to be a staple of the Punchdrunk model and still remain a fascinating addition to the way these shows are run. 1:1 hunters are abound just as they are in the McKittrick, which is an unfortunate side effect for these moments, but not for lack of a good reason: some of these moments have grown into the most special moments of the show for me. My overall reflection (having only experienced a handful of what the show has to offer) is that this shows' 1:1s are more geared towards shocking you as an audience member – either physically or existentially. Each one I experienced provided a fresh, new insight into the character's ethos, and often radically changed how I thought about the rest of their loop. One in particular provided the same electrifying feel and dynamism of Sleep No More's 6th floor nurse, and additionally was a key turning point in that character's narrative loop. There is something to be said about the damage that may be done by rude repeat visitors pushing themselves to the front before these prized moments, but as they appear to be a staple, I am still grateful for these intimate moments, especially in a show that lacks the lingering, flirtatious looks of the McKittrick.
In their usual fashion, Punchdrunk has taken creative liberty in various sources. Influences from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (including a character!), Blade Runner, and Metropolis are clearly apparent in the set design and score. Hints at references to Sleep No More (and apparently The Drowned Man) are hidden across the show. But what I found most fascinating was the show's adaptations of classic characters and the careful selection of which characters to include and, sometimes more interestingly, which ones to omit – King Priam, Helen, Paris, and Hector, for instance, make no appearance in the museum. Nevertheless, I found the show's additions to Euripides' and Aeschylus' characters captivating, particularly: Aegisthus as a much more cunning individual with agency and influence over Clytemnestra's revenge, Patroclus and Achilles' budding queer relationship, and Polymestor's sleaziness and ultimate deference to the Canaan deity Moloch. Furthermore, the subtleties between two invented side characters – the Trojan maid Luba and Mycenaean maid Oracle – also prove to be a fascinating foil to the differences between Hecuba and Clytemnestra.
I have touched a bit on it already, but I would be remiss to not highlight the score, which is one of my favorite things about The Burnt City. The score forgoes the sing-along nature of Sleep No More's soundtrack, which relies heavily on Glenn Miller's and The Ink Spots' jazzy hits, and instead features epic instrumental pieces from Hans Zimmer, video games, classical music, and operatic pieces. These are impeccably timed with the narrative and choreography: the orchestral swell that comes in a particularly poignant moment comes to mind. When the soundtrack switches to more diegetic moments, it is likewise done successfully, fostering new earworms to evoke memories of the museum. Some highlights: Law of Life and Will Soon Be a Woman. The Burnt City also features a bar akin to the Manderley named Peep, which has the added twist of being canonical to the show – characters during their loops will stop in the bar to perform dances or songs to the well-liquored audience. This is an interesting twist on the Manderley bar, and offers a fair respite from the show and an appropriate time for a water break, but Peep unfortunately never feels like a comfortable place to sit too long. Part of this is the musical choices – which are bombastic and fun, but certainly not relaxing or romantic – and part of this is the lack of the feeling of comfort that the Manderley bar characters bring to the show. The Peep show hosts certainly deliver an entertaining show, but never without the intimacy that Sleep No More achieves.
This is certainly the major difference I felt between the two shows: Sleep No More thrives on the intimate, fleeting moments, while The Burnt City is more focused on delivering an epic story with all the bells and whistles it can muster. These are distinctly different approaches, but both have me completely wrapped around their finger.
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Sleep No More #15-17
So a series of weird visits over a short few days. This was around the time where a close friend of mine was leaving NYC, and in addition to doing a visit with them, I found myself retreating to the McKittrick as a source of familiar comfort. I have found the hotel has definitely transformed over time to be a place that seems more and more intimate with every visit, and even despite three pretty off-feeling visits, there were moments -- as always -- of delight and beauty.
Some highlights and vignettes:
Jeff Docimo's Boy is an absolute star of the show. His ability and versatility in the many roles that he takes on is beyond talented, and carries so much to the show. His crazed dance on the table as the rave is starting after Hecate's scream filled with fantastic awe. I also caught a white mask going hard during the rave himself which was amusing to see. In another show, Jeff as Fulton WALKED ON THE CEILING in the duet with Taxi. I will never not put it past Jeff to do some crazy impossible-seeming acrobatic.
While Jeff's movements are dynamic and full-forced, Jack Blackmon's Boy (can you guess my favorite character) is almost serpentine in his dance, twirling and snaking all over the lost luggage room before pressing me against the door. His shower scene is particularly poignant and the fall from the playful character earlier in the loop is quite apparent.
Nate Carter's Macbeth is a feat to be seen. A very rare treat that I was privy to see, his dynamic duet with Lady Macbeth post party was absolutely brutal as they slammed each other into walls and over shelves. His murder of Banquo is particularly savage, and it feels like he is putting all the energy he can muster into that brick slam. When he staggers from behind the speakeasy bar, you can see him gasping for energy, almost broken from the murder of his confidant.
Two white masks were pushed into the interrogation room with me as Andy Talen and Ernesto Breton began their duet, and for a few seconds, it seemed like the black mask in the room was going to have to let them out after they repeatedly yanked on the room. But the combo of Andy/Ernesto absolutely dominated -- I believe I've seen Ernesto the most in this scene, and he never misses.
Mallory Gracenin's Hecate serenading me to Is That All There Is? has to be a top 5 intimate moment for me. Having such a powerful performer stare at you with such intensity, forcing themselves to cry as their eyes remain fixed boring into you is something you can only get in this show. Followed by an electric 1:1 and a marked mask only felt like the cherry on top to a phenomenal lip sync.
Walkouts with Doug Burkhardt's Fulton, Evan Fisk's Banquo, and Brandon Coleman's Porter honestly were some of my favorite ways to end the show. There is such an intimate tenderness in these walkouts that you can't even get in 1:1s that I have found myself hanging around the fourth floor more on the last loop to try to get.
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Sleep No More #14
This was a big night for me, as I got five 1:1s! It was really cool to have all these unique experiences, especially since half of them were organic and weren’t me trying for them! Even with the VERY pushy crowd, I still got to see some amazing parts of the show.
I started the ballroom to see none other than Tony Bordonaro’s Boy -and what a sight to be seen! I got pulled in for the witches trick, and then decided to put in a loop with Tony, who I’ve been ecstatic to see ever since my experience with his Speaks. His performance absolutely blew me away. This loop was by far one of the most intimate experiences I’ve had in the hotel (and it didn’t even include a 1:1!). Tony’s lost luggage dance was phenomenal, so graceful. When he finished, he motioned for me to take off his suit jacket, which I held tenderly before he took it from my arms to hang it against the phone booths. After we ran up to 4 before entering the Speakeasy, he collapsed to the ground, and as he pulled himself up, he grabbed onto my shoe with a tight grip to gather himself, all the while staring at me intensely.
His pool table solo was one of the most violent and emotional dances I’ve seen. He sounded like he was in such hurt and there was so much physicality in his agony. By the time we ran off to the rave, I was so fixated on Boy I had barely any time to notice a new Hecate, played by Mallory Gracenin! Their scream as the rave started was incredible and so visceral. I kept my eyes on Tony as he began his jerky, spasmed dance on the table, but got easily distracted by Evan Fisk’s Banquo, who was an absolute beast and maniac throughout the rave.
I followed Boy into his shower scene, where he beckoned for me to hand him his towel. I always feel awkward in this scene, since you’re watching someone be so vulnerable in front of you, physically and emotionally naked. As I paced backwards to the open door, I got stuck, as other white masks had moved to fill in the space. But Tony drank from a water bottle and then sidled up to me as he put his pants and shirt back on, staring deep into my eyes as his hands fumbled with the straps. He pressed himself against me, pushing me to the wall until our eyes were just mere inches apart. Then he dipped towards my ear, whispering “Come with me” as he grabbed my hand and raced down four flights of stairs. As we got to the bottom before he left for the banquet stage he pressed me against some curtains and whispered once more in my ear before giving me a gentle kiss on the neck. Gasp. Swoon.
I stayed to watch the trees come together, something I hadn’t seen for quite a while, before running into Macbeth. I watched his and Boy’s solo in the trees before deciding to follow Banquo up to lost luggage, who was played by a new performer – Jack Blackmon. Another pre-pandemic returnee, I learned, and their Banquo was truly elegant and graceful and everything I want from my Banquos. Their lost luggage solo looked as if they were floating across the room. I always think Banquo’s solo here is so under-appreciated – everyone is just trying to catch first prophecy.
Their crypt duet with Bald was fantastic, and I followed Banquo all the way to his room where they took me in for a 1:1, my first Banquo! This was fantastic – and although I ended up losing the souvenir on my bike ride home, it was an amazing, emotional experience to see Banquo in their proudest and yet most vulnerable moment.
I went down to ballroom again to catch the witches starting their dance and caught a slow dance with Boy once more, where he kept us mere inches apart. I dared not look away, but his piercing eyes felt like they bore into me as he slowly swayed me to the music.
I left the ballroom later to wander up to 5, where I caught the mirror dance between Brandon Coleman’s Nurse and Layne Paradis Willis’ Matron, and then went to hang out on 4 to watch Macbeth kill Banquo. What an incredible scene to catch. Spent some time with Speaks, and then decided to go back up to 5, where Matron was knitting on her front steps. She came out and extended her hand to one of the white masks, and the woman outright refused it! I guess they were scared and wanted to stick with their friends, but no matter – I stuck around for a bit before Layne grabbed me in and gave me her 1:1, but all I could think about was this tumblr post and thinking through my head “you getting to hear Pagoda Woman tell you a story for the 12th time”, and I had to stifle back a laugh. I loved Layne’s rendition of it, and she definitely freaked me out in one moment of it.
I went back down to 4 and caught Hecate feeding Speaks tears and before I knew it, Hecate grabbed me into their own 1:1. This was my first time in this room, and it was so cool to see the place where this 1:1 takes place! I would love to be able to look through and explore it independent of the 1:1. This experience was phenomenal, especially with Mallory’s cackling, a very unhinged Hecate performance.
I left from the apothecary and spent some time watching Sexy and Macduff’s duet in Paisley Sweets before following Isadora Wolfe’s Agnes through making her charm and then getting her 1:1! I love how this one pairs with the 6th floor, and the shock factor of the end of that 1:1 is always a fun delight.
Finally, I wandered around High Street to catch the end of the rave and then watched Boy’s shower scene once again, following him down to banquet to try to get his walkout. Instead, Lady Macbeth grabbed my hand, smearing blood all over my hand as she pushed me against the wall and gave me a solemn smile to end my night.
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You have a lot of 6th floor experiences, I’m so envious! Would you be willing to share a recap of your time on the 6th floor/timing? 💙
Even though the old tumblr crowd is gone, I do still want to uphold the tradition of not posting 1:1 spoilers online — I think so much of the magic of these experiences are when you first get them on your own! That being said, you can find a pretty in-depth summary of 6 online if you want (just google “sixth floor” and “sleep no more”), and feel free to PM me for timing.
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Sleep No More #13
It slipped my mind that this visit would be Eastern Sunday, and I was thus rewarded with a very crowded, slow-moving, and obnoxious audience. There was one woman who literally seemed like she was on a 2 foot leash with some of the performers. I saw her bump multiple times into different performers because she was so close. Nevertheless, I figured out on visits like these that I prefer to stay with the quieter characters.
I started my visit by following Lady Macduff up to her bedroom from the ballroom and almost immediately she reached her hand out to me. When I took it, she placed my hand against her cheek tenderly, and then moved her hand to press it against my own cheek. Instead of following her downstairs, I went upstairs to catch Ruth Howard’s Agnes in the tailor shop alone. I watched her make the locket, but this time, she took me into her room for a 1:1! I loved this experience, and it was lovely to finally experience what Narnia was!
Decided to head down to the lobby instead of going to rave like usual (I have been trying to break up my normal habits), and lo and behold ran into Brandon Coleman’s Porter! I didn’t think he was doing this role at all, but I had a wonderful time spending the next loop with him. So many wonderful things about his performance – his expressions during lip sync invoked such a deep sadness in me, and when Boy grabbed the tissue he offered to give to a white mask, it looked like Porter had completely broken apart. On the other hand, his dance during the ballroom party is hilarious and quite a hoot! I watched it twice, and Brandon brings so much character to the role. Lots of marionette-like dancing, and he skipped and hopped around the room like a gazelle. Porter scaring himself in the mirror as he bumped into it earned a laugh both times. An absolute delight to see. He ended each dance furiously tap dancing on the lobby counter, ringing the bell multiple times with his steps in tune with Sandman, before finally jumping down and slamming it once more as the song ended.
After watching the electric phone booth duet with Nate Carter’s Boy Witch, I followed Porter as he retreated to his office to make a doll-like object. Porter poked a hole through the object to slip another piece of paper in it, before holding up the doll and making a face on it with some lipstick. As he slowly brought the figurine up to the hand mirror, he suddenly jerked, knocking the mirror over and uncovering a ring. He placed the ring on the doll and then twisted the head off violently before pocketing it. Then, as he held the body of the doll against his hand, I realized it was a stand-in for his ring finger. There was so much emotion packed into his scene, and it really feels like this is the moment where Porter is revealing his true self. With this scene shortly followed by the Moonlight Becomes You dance, it really strikes close how vulnerable the Porter can be.
With a full loop done, I decided to go up to 4 to see if I could make the rave – it had just ended, but I was able to catch Kayla Farrish’s Sexy Witch solo and then stuck around to watch the Hecate/Agnes lipstick scene. Wandered a bit more before following Tony Bordonaro’s Speaks through the reset. As he entered the shower room, he nodded his head for me to go inside – but as I got here, he slammed the door shut! Very Tony-esque!
I spent some time rooting through Taxi’s office, and looking through his large book of weird hybrid creatures. Very cool drawings – the robotic squirrel particularly drew me in. I was so entranced I didn’t even notice Hecate come in until Stephanie Jean Lane surprised me as she sidled up next to me and grabbed the notepad on the desk. She handed me the note, sealed with a kiss, demanding something of the Porter and whispered into my ear to deliver it. I hadn’t planned on spending more time with Porter, but I felt an obligation to finally go through the note quest! 
I came down to the lobby mid-ballroom dance, and it wasn’t until after the phone booth duet that Porter had some down time. In his office again, I watched him create the doll and I timidly held up the note. He looked up in surprise and took it out of my hands, reading it. Then, he rolled it up tightly and used the note to bisect the doll. Same scene, but after he ripped the head of the paper doll off, he pulled out the chair next to him and invited me to sit. Then placing the paper finger with the ring around it in my hand, he gently closed my hand and whispered for me to bring it back.
Came back to 4 to catch Hecate calling her witches at the rave. Once she went to sit down, she stared at the person next to me, and then stared at me. I held up the note, and a look of pleased surprise washed over Stephanie’s face. She gestured for me to give it to her, and then when she did her incantation (as the music revved up), instead of just holding up her hands like she normally does, she held up the note in all its glory! This was so cool to see, and I could see the white mask next to me looking over, confused at what was going on. Hecate then placed the note on the table, stared straight at me, and dropped it into her bag. I stuck with her during Sexy’s solo again, but then left as she got ready to receive Agnes. The whole note quest seemed really cool, but honestly felt a little incomplete. It was an amazing interaction to get Hecate’s attention around the Porter note, but it felt like to me it should have been building up to something more – maybe the timing on the third loop is too tight?
Having spent so much time with Porter, I went looking for him to end the night, but black masks were already directing everyone to the ballroom. Then, towards the back, I saw him standing alone, and so I parked myself next to him. Eventually, he came to grab my shoulders as the noose was being lowered, and he brought me out for a walkout! We did two twirls up to the Manderley, and he ended the show by lifting my mask and giving a warm smile. So happy I could witness Brandon's Porter!
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Last night I dreamt of a bizarro Sleep No More where the cast of Macbeth was performing a rendition of Friday the 13th and now I think I need this ??!
Lady M as Mrs. Voorhees? Evan Fisk’s Macbeth as Jason? Sign me up!
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Sleep No More #12 4/14/22
Holy shit. I have only two words. Scratch that, four words. Jesus Christ Tony Bordonaro. I had heard tumblr whispers of his talent from the earlier ages of SNM, but nothing could have prepared me for how good he was. His ability to make Speaks into one of the most enthralling, captivating roles was such a privilege to witness tonight. I know he has done Boy in the past too – I can only hope one day I am able to see that performance.
The hotel guests knew it – Tony gathered quite a crowd, and even while following him for nearly one and a half loops in total, there was rarely (if ever) a moment alone. Some big things that really stood out for me:
- A funny bit with the card game that he played with the audience. Speaks dealt 3 cards out face down and took out a fourth card before licking it emphatically and then sticking it to his forehead. He had me once pick one of the cards; I got a Queen to his forehead King. He tutted at me, as if ashamed or sorry for my choice, and then pressed the two cards against each other, making comical kissing noises. Later when he played the same game with another person, he made two Kings make out!
- His card trick shortly after reset was a phenomenal performance. His showmanship and ability to hold a crowd is unparalleled – at the end, when he showed the correct card, the entire crowd (20 or so people!) loudly burst into clapping, something I had never seen before.
- After getting Douglas Burkhardt’s Fulton’s 1:1, Speaks took a while to come out from the autopsy room. After he did so, he stared at my necklace, picked it up off my chest, and tutted and scoffed at me as he unlocked the door. Fulton had promised me it would keep me safe, but I didn’t want to be “safe” to keep hanging out with Speaks. I folded up the necklace and stuffed it into my pocket.
- Throughout his entire loop, I loved how Tony croaked out the words on the jukebox, mindlessly singing along.
- Towards the end of the show, I went back to finish the night with Speaks – caught him folding up Banquo’s jacket and cleaning his bar before the revived Banquo brought most of the crowd out. Tony then spent a few minutes picking up the cards from the table and arranging them into a neat deck, and then gestured for me to grab them. The moment I reached for it, he accordioned them all over the floor and smirked before grabbing my shoulders and whispering “Come with me” for a walkout! A perfect end to JCTB – until next time.
Some other highlights:
- Honestly I was so enthralled that I barely had time to keep track of the fact that Nate Carter was on as Macbeth! Nate kills every other role he’s on, and I braved the crowds to watch his post-Duncan murder dance up to rave. There was so much expression in his movement; Nate is really such a talented treat to watch.
- Layne Paradis Willis’ Bald during the ballroom dance was stunning. After getting picked for the three witches’ trick, Layne stared coldly at me throughout her dance with Banquo. It was such an intense dichotomy – she was all smiles with Banquo, but once he twirled her out and she turned to me, her face turned to a cold look.
- Spent some time with Marc Cardarielli’s Macduff out to the crypt for his solo. I feel like people should be talking about Marc more! His athleticism and energy puts him at the top with all my short kings of the show. This crypt solo was particularly impressive.
- Joy Marie Thompson’s Nurse’s 1:1! Her take on the scene is much more rough with you and scary! Loved the power and intensity of it.
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Sleep No More #11 4/4/22
It’s been a busy month so I haven’t been able to update this as much as I wanted, but some notes about a wonderful 11th visit:
- Michael Bryan Wang’s Fulton’s 1:1! I started following his character when I noticed him and Sexy alone in the autopsy room for their fight/duet. Not wanting to leave an unwatched character alone, I followed him, stopping at rave, until he led me back into the funeral parlor once more, locking the door and boarding the windows up behind me. His 1:1 was quite intimate and really exposed me to more of his character’s background and motivations.
- At the end of the first loop, I started feeling a bit lost and aimless, and so figured now was as good as any time to finally do my first loop with Duncan (JWW). The timing of his whole loop was really impressive, especially from ballroom to banquet – it feels like everything is really planned to an exact tee to make sure very little time is wasted, even for a dead man! A minute after his impressive solo in his room after he fell asleep in the canopy, boom! Macbeth was there to kill him. A minute after Macbeth left, boom! Banquo around the corner to ring the bell. And a minute after the three men leave Duncan in the crypt, boom! Danvers was there to revive them. It’s enough down time to get most of the crowd to leave his loop, but I never piece in my head how tight all the timing was. I followed Duncan through his post-banquet scenes, and am still wrestling with some confusion from his narrative with Danvers: he spent the next few minutes flirting with Danvers aggressively, going for kisses, dancing in his room, pursuing her coyly as she avoided his advances; it confuses me for who exactly is pursuing who in their duo – is Duncan being seduced or is he the seducer?
- I ended the show looking for some familiar territory. Caught Brandon’s Nurse setting up Lady Macbeth’s clothes by her bath, and followed him to his Matron visit and lost limb (which still holds as one of my absolutely favorite dances in the show) – my favorite bit is the 360 degree leg swing Brandon does towards the end. Next thing I know, I’m whisked off again to his 1:1! 
- I spent the remainder of the show bumbling around 5, watching Matron a bit and hanging around. Found myself back to following Nurse, and you can really get quite a treat in the last half hour following that loop – solo on Lady Macbeth’s hospital bed, mirror dance, and lost limb all back to back to back. This time, I stood on the far end of the top of the operating theatre to get a different view of the scene. Ended up with a lovely walkout with Nurse, where we dashed through the hotel lobby, ending with a gentle twirl and a warm smile and shoulder squeeze: always a happy end to the night!
- I was about to leave early, but the line for coat check was packed, so I decided to spend some more time back in the Manderley, and had quite a treat! Some of the cast members came out, and I had a quick conversation with Evan about his Taxi improvisation from the day before: he first gave me a sly shrug when I asked about it, but quickly acquiesced, humorously noting that he almost got in trouble because they were afraid he would lose Nurse’s glasses!
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Sleep No More #10 4/3/22
Double digit visits!
On getting down the ballroom, I glanced up at the balcony to see MACJEFF! Dashed straight up the stairs to the mezz to watch him perform. Some things I noticed during his performance:
- I had to mentally recheck if Macbeth is always barefoot when he goes downstairs to murder Duncan -- turns out he is, but I would be so horrified of stepping on something moving through the hotel.
- I must have missed the Macbeth/Lady Macbeth fight last time I looped either one of them. This scene was SO good and so physical. The two of them tore into each other, throwing each other around the room with so much violence in their eyes. At one point, as the two of them came hurtling on by, I backed into the steps to the bathtub and lost my balance.
- Post rave angry-Macbeth slamming into the walls is always a treat to see. So much anger and rage.
- I hung around to see Macbeth's solo in Birnam wood. Amazing movement as always, but Jeff Docimo's Macbeth did a headstand against one of the pillars in the ballroom effortlessly. An incredible acrobatic feat. When he came back down, he was panting and connected eyes with me, before grabbing my neck with both hands, pressing the side of his face against my mask. As he stumbled back, pulling me forward with him, he rasped something in my ear. Super intense -- and I had a bunch of blood smeared on me as a souvenir.
Spent most of second loop on 5, on my way finding an unclaimed paper boat by the Porter's office.
- Watched Camara McLaughlin's Matron for a while, and tons of people passed on by, and behavior at the door was at an all time worst. Multiple people knocked loudly on the door, almost everyone tried to jimmy the handle or pull on the latch to force the door open. Eventually got her 1:1, which started out with her pulling the Porter's boat out of my hand and giving a fond, but knowing look at it.
- Ran into Ernesto Breton's 6th floor nurse! He really does not hesitate to grab someone for that 1:1. Instead of sitting down on his suitcase like the other 6's I've seen, I caught him dashing down the hallway to the operating room, turn around, and then immediately grab my hand. Maybe 30 seconds max spent on 5.
- Caught lost limb dance with Brandon Coleman's Nurse. Probably one of my favorite solo's in the entire hotel. The curious horror on Nurse's face and the jerky, abrupt movements is so unique compared to all the other characters.
Finished the night with Evan Fisk's Taxi, who really leaned much more into the playful and mischievous angles of the role.
- Caught him as he was bringing someone to the rave, so hung around his office. As he prepared to go down to the Macduffs, he grabbed one of the business cards from his office. This was completely new -- and instead of sewing in a bone into the teddy like he usually does, he instead grabbed a creepy doll from the children's room, propped it straight backed in the middle of the living room sofa, and gingerly placed his business card in the doll's hands.
- As we stepped out in to the hall, we ran into Nurse and Matron, who both seemed taken aback and shocked to run into him. Taxi motioned for them to go ahead, but when they didn't move immediately, he walked slowly up to them and then snatched the glasses off of Nurse's face and placed them on himself. Nurse physically recoiled from the gesture and looked genuinely horrified. What a cool little interaction I had never seen before!
- Back at his office, Taxi spent the rest of his time looking at his animals and placing the glasses over the various models he had in his room. Eventually he decided on the dino skeleton in the center of his room, after trying the squirrel in his back office. The whole bit felt very improvisational, and had me laughing throughout.
- Finally, he grabbed another business card before grabbing my hand. Ended the night with a walkout, where he twirled me gently and pressed his card into my hands with a wink.
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Sleep No More #9 3/27/22
Phenomenal, phenomenal visit. I don't know if it was because it was Sunday or because I spent most of my time on the fifth floor, but there weren't many crowds, and there were plenty of opportunities for the personal moments that keep me coming back to this show over and over again.
- While waiting in the Manderley, I overheard Stella talking with some of the black masks that both Oz and James seemed to be missing. Nevertheless, she escorted us to Hazel, who brought us in through the stair entrance, and I went down to the ballroom. No one. I think this was a record time for getting into the show. Instead of waiting for Bald to show up, I wandered a bit and ran into Nate Carter's Boy Witch on the mezz. As I followed him to a corner, almost immediately he gave me a look and grabbed me close, pressing his face against my mask, sniffing me, and then whispering into my ear before joining the other two witches. I followed him back to his corner to get treated to slow dance and a twirl.
- I decided to spend some time on 5, especially after hearing that the fifth floor 1:1s were back. Started off with Emily Oldak's Matron. Her character interests me, but I do really wish Matron did more! Emily spent a lot of time rocking in her chair, rearranging her items, and opening her door a crack before abruptly closing it, scared of the outside. At one point, in the hut, I watched her pull a slip of paper from behind the painting on the far wall. Eventually, after she closed her window and I was peering through the slits to get a glimpse of what she was doing, she suddenly opened the door again and pulled me in. After shutting the door, she reached for me and took off my mask! Instantly felt so vulnerable. Her 1:1 was phenomenal, and such a crazy experience to be in the hotel maskless, as the only one experiencing the moment. As she brought me outside, she slipped a piece of paper (maybe the one behind the painting?) into my hand.
- I hung around Matron some more to watch her chalk WHO WILL HANG THEM backwards, but her E was forwards. Brandon Coleman's Nurse arrived after she fainted, and I decided to follow him to his lost limb, this time without any Matron watching! Definitely weird to see it that way. Lost limb is an acrobatic feat, and Brandon's movement is so fluidly chaotic as he realizes each of his limbs is moving on its own. As he finished his dance, instead of going into the padded cell, Nurse grabbed my hand and brought me into his office. Another 1:1! It was really cool to see this scene after watching the padded cell duet and Nurse’s solo in the room with all the beds. As of now, it doesn't seem like the padded cell room is used for anything? I wish they unlocked it for us to explore inside.
- After my 5th floor fill, I wandered around High Street before catching Sexy walking into Agnes' room. Wanting to catch her emerge into the autopsy room, I sidled into the room next door, but apparently that room is all hush hush, as Fulton came in and brought everyone else out into the funeral parlor. As he shut the autopsy room, I heard a door slamming, and then Fulton opened the door to find Sexy.
- After wandering haphazardly, I found myself back on 5, this time spending a lot of time looking through a lot of the props in the dentist's office and the prayer room. I've never really spent much time to examine the set on 5, so looking through all the attention to detail was really cool. I eventually ran into Nurse again, and was the only one watching as he performed his solo on Lady Macbeth's bed, somersaulting and flipping on the mattress. There were two times where I was scared he was going to slam his head on the bedframe -- those falls are tight!
- Back to see mirror dance again, and this time they joined hands to walk to the operating theatre for another lost limb dance before cleaning up the Macbeths' room. It was fascinating to see them put everything back together: there were a few times when the two of them mirrored each other's actions while cleaning, and it made me wonder what exactly is happening in their narrative on the third loop. Why do they join hands? Why is there another lost limb dance so soon in the loop? Why does Matron decide to leave the hut this time?
- Got a walkout from Nurse, and he grabbed my shoulders as we watched Macbeth climb the chair, just like Fulton did last time. This time instead of shocking/pushing me, he gradually let go as Macbeth has hanged. Then grabbing my hand, we ran through the lobby into the Manderley, finishing with one last twirl and a smile. A magical finish to a 5th floor focused experience.
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Sleep No More #8 3/19/22
Went with a bunch of work friends, a few of them who had been once before, and a few complete newbies. It was a lot of fun talking them through the scenes after the show, and geeking out about Macbeth and everything they saw! Overall, the show felt a little bit off, but I think this might be because I am getting to the point where I have seen most if not all of the scenes.
- I had my first conversation with Jimmy (Alec) as we were waiting in the queue, and I really enjoyed talking to the PIBs! I am still nervous approaching them in the bar, especially as they are setting everything up.
- It was a pretty similar cast to last Monday, so I felt that I had covered my bases of who I wanted to see mostly. I spent most of first loop with scenes that I really enjoyed -- the Macduff (MacJeff) crypt solo, to Macduff and Bald (Layne) duet, to Banquo (Brandon) stair fall and bird solo, to rave watching Hecate (SJL) mostly, to interrogation scene. During interrogation, Jeff Docimo DID AN UNASSISTED BACKSPRING FLIP. Having seen this scene over and over and knowing the choreography, I actually audibly gasped as flipped across the room. Jeff's acrobatics never fail to impress me, in the many different roles I have seen him play. Finally, determined to avoid the banquet this time, I watched Hecate collect Agnes' tears, and followed Agnes back to her room, where Fulton appeared out of the closet, a scene I saw for the first time.
- Back to Hecate at the start of the next loop. She ate the organ, and then stared at me intensely as she coughed up the ring. Before I knew it, she grabbed my hand to place the ring on her, and then dragged me to the lip sync! What an incredible scene to be receiving from Hecate as she held my hand nearly the whole time. The stares into my soul were so piercing and the attention almost made the rest of the audience disappear in my vision. Hecate stared at me the whole time, and I felt like there was no way I could break eye contact -- Stephanie completely dominates the role, she just IS Hecate.
- Later I ran into Taxi, who I decided to watch for the rest of the loop. Evan Fisk is really great performer, but I do think the role has just a bit too much downtime for my liking, particularly from the time between ballroom and banquet. He spent most of the time in his office or around the corner: adjusting things, staring at his animals, organizing his tools. We moved only twice -- once downstairs to the Macduffs and to retrieve Fulton's buried bones. I watched as he sewed a bone into one of the Macduff children's teddy bears. What a creepy scene, especially as the background music was carnival horror music, adding a whole unsettling feeling. An interesting touch that I noticed after Taxi retrieved the bones back to his shop was that he hastily covered them with a cloth as Speaks walked through his store. This confused me, because I thought they were both working with Hecate... so maybe some bit of lore that I'm still missing!
- The other time Taxi moved away from his shop was with the rave throbbing in the background. In his shop, he started walking towards me and so I moved out of the way, before he grabbed my hand, whispered in my ear, and pulled me into the rave, gripping my shoulders until Hecate began to scream. Unfortunately for him, I turned right back out and followed him back into his shop! He gave a knowing smirk as he saw me walk back in.
- Last loop I felt a bit lost, and so decided now was as good as time as any to finally catch Danvers' (Aliza) loop, who I have only seen intermittently in other scenes. She spends post ballroom party covering all the clocks in Duncan's room before he is about to die. This piqued several interesting themes that I'm not entirely sure how to interpret at the moment (free will vs. magic?). One of these days, I'll full loop Duncan to get some more insight into it.
- Watching Danvers and Lady Macduff's milk duet really confirms in my head that the former is not a sympathetic character at all to me. When she holds the milk away from Lady Macduff, Danvers appears to be extremely calculated and so very cruel. Her final action of pouring it out in the tin for the other to lap it up seemed particularly brutal.
- Finally ended the show with Kristen's Sexy, and accidentally tripped up the stairs as we were climbing up to the mezzanine. This earned a good-natured laugh from her, and she made a point of making sure I didn't trip again as we walked up to Manderley. A good humored note to end on!
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Sleep No More #7 3/14/22
Really bad crowd on Monday -- tons of pushing and hand holding and crowds around even the smaller characters which got frustrating from time to time. But still managed to find some lovely personal moments throughout the whole time!
- Lots of witch attention today! Got pulled in by all three as the ballroom scene was starting, Sexy winked at me as Fulton pulled her lifeless body up during the autopsy scene, Boy slammed me against the wall in his lost luggage solo, and Bald handed me her towel to clean her back. I adore all the witches and love their playfulness throughout the show, and so it was cool to get attention from all of them.
- I only saw a bit of Jeffrey Docimo's Porter, but that man is absolutely incredible. I am still baffled by his movements in the lobby -- spinning on his head, swimming across the counter: so impressive! I caught his hand drawing scene, and as he penciled in THE BOY, I suddenly realized what he was writing about and got sad; his whole narrative really depresses me.
- I do think I'm really over the first two banquets. I love the finale, but the banquet to me just feels really long with not a huge payoff. Do others feel the same? What do you usually end up doing during that time?
- I was reading some more patient files (I love all the Easter eggs you can find in Lady Macbeth's) when I saw a few people standing in the hallway. Turned the corner and saw Nate Carter as the 6th floor nurse! I have gotten unbelievably lucky with 6 picks, as he grabbed my hand and pulled me up for another wonderful experience. It felt very different from Layne's version, despite the exact same choreography and dialogue, but I really like them both.
- I eventually ran into Douglas Burkhardt's Fulton on my third loop who I decided to spend the rest of my time with. It is so interesting how Fulton watches many of the intense scenes around the hotel from afar. He is always around the corner, with a skeptical and religious eye on the action. A scared but curious man. We went down to the third floor and I saw his prayer for the first time, and he also stopped by the Macduffs room to peer inside, but I couldn't quite see what was going on.
- Back at his shop, Malcolm and Macduff suddenly burst through the door, and Fulton pushed me into the interrogation room, which I had actually just been in last loop! I tried to resist, indicating that I wanted to stay with Doug, but he ushered me in regardless. No real complaint -- I love the interrogation scene and it has turned into a pick-me-up for the show!
- Afterwards, I tried to find Fulton again and ended up rifling through his drawers in his office which was empty. There are so many trinkets and objects in there -- Fulton's bible, the tools that Agnes' uses to make her locket, a few pairs of scissors, and a notebook which only had one line on it about how Hecate was walking around the floor.
- Fulton eventually came back, and he grabbed my hand down to the banquet. We stayed towards the back watching the scene, and the whole time I was so worried that my hand was getting too sweaty -- it is hot in the hotel! Eventually he pushed me to the front and grabbed my shoulders as Macbeth climbed that chair. Watching that final scene with Fulton pressing on my shoulders made in even more impactful and intense. As Malcolm pushed the chair, Fulton pushed me too, shocking me. On the walkout, he was all smiles, capping another lovely visit.
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Sleep No More #6 3/3/22
My friends are astonished that I keep going back to the McKittrick, and I keep trying to explain magic of the place. I managed to get on the first elevator and found Nate Carter as James/Taxi, which was exciting to see! I put a mental note to follow him later (although I did get distracted down the road).
I went in thinking that I was going to see what Malcolm did between the party and the banquet, because despite seeing him pop up in other people's loops, I still haven't spent a loop with him. I quickly went down to the ballroom before lo and behold, in all the guyliner I could see, was Brandon Coleman's boy witch. I was so excited -- Brandon is one of my consistently favorite performers, and despite having seen BW's loop with Nate Carter and Jeff Docimo in previous visits, I immediately set my course for another loop.
Brandon's boy witch is fun and flirty, but super sensual and intense, compared to the playful but mean Boy Witches I have seen before. Throughout the loop, it really felt like he loved Porter and regretted what he was having to do to him. After his lip-sync for instance, Brandon allowed Porter to wipe both of his cheeks dry, unlike the Boy that I saw last week who snatched the tissue from his hands.
During Boy's lost luggage dance, he pushed me up against a wall and inhaled sharply, as if sniffing me. His pool scene was excellent, and seemed much more intentional than violent compared to what I had seen before.
I still think the 1st loop rave is the best one to watch. It is not crowded at all, and I got a prime viewing from the left of the center pole. As usual, it was super intense, and I loved the moment where they lift Sexy Witch and she lets out this bloodcurdling shriek. Kayla Farrish's screams were on point!
Boy's shower scene post-rave always breaks my heart, especially comparing the defeated and put down performance from the fun don't-care attitude from before. As we went down to the banquet, Boy pushed me up against the wall once more, whispering in my ear. It was so intense and animalistic, and it took me a second to recover.
I spent the majority of the rest of my time with Ernesto Breton's Speaks. He truly has so much range. Last time as Macduff he did gravity defying lifts and stunts, and this time his Speaks made me laugh so much during the whole performance. He used a makeshift slingshot to inflect havoc in the funeral home, and he spoke in a high pitched baby voice into Malcolm's phone, getting a giggle out of the group.
My favorite bit was when we picked me for his magic trick. He laid out the deck of cards, and I selected the 9 of clubs and showed the whole group. Speaks then moved the deck to the table and tapped it once with a hammer, before gesturing for me to do the same. I tapped it. He grabbed the hammer from me and slammed it into the cards as if to tell me to really put some force into. I grabbed the hammer again and ... completely missed the deck of cards, instead slamming the table. So embarrassing! The audience was giggling and I was mortified and Speaks just looked at me as if to say "well don't break my whole ass bar". I laughed at his look, re-aimed and hit the deck again. He scooped it up, and then booped my on the head with the deck before having me flick all the cards (accordion style) up and towards him. Right after I did so, he looked at me again with a smirk of playful exhaustion -- "why on earth did you do that?" his face said. More giggles. Finally, he revealed one card. Not it. Another. Not it. BUT for his finisher, he reached into his mouth to reveal a folded card which was ... the 5 of clubs. Not it. I shook my head for a third time, and Ernesto seemed genuinely shocked that it wasn't right! He took a peak at my facedown card, then patted me on the back, laughing and saying "you got me". I loved the whole trick back to front, and was kind of pleased it didn't end up working out!
It's these small moments that I've really connected with the hotel. The last hour really breezed by by how much fun I was having watching Speakeasy -- he's definitely on my list for a comforting loop in the future.
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Sleep No More #5 Early 2/27/22
Happy to be back already -- this was my first matinee but I was surprised to see there was nothing really different with this show other than the earlier time slot. We got to go into the hotel earlier than usual which was cool to be able to chill in the Manderley for a bit before getting the stair entrance. As usual, went straight down to the ballroom as Sandman started playing. This time going in, I had decided to catch Macduff's and Porter's storylines.
- Ernesto Breton's Macduff was jaw-dropping. Holy shit that man is acrobatic as ever. His performances were literally gravity defying. I got to see his crypt solo by myself where he literally did an unassisted headstand holding his feet against the ceiling. When we got to High Street, he climbed the wall like nothing.
- The interrogation scene is always a favorite of mine, but I have found myself pre-emptively leaving the speakeasy just as Macbeth rages in. Funny that I'm already ahead of Malcolm and Macduff as they run off for their duet!
- I got to catch two other duets I hadn't scene before: Macduff and Danvers' door scene, and Banquo and Bald's crypt dance. All four of the dancers were all so intentional and beautiful in their movements.
- By the time the second party started, I switched courses to run up the stairs to find Porter in the lobby. His loop was filled with such fun idiosyncrasies! It was actually so interesting to follow him when so many important plot points were happening around him. So much of the audience followed others as they filtered in and out of the lobby, while another woman and I centered on Porter.
- I got to see Boy Witch's lip sync for the first time and it was such a delight to alternate looking at Boy Witch and Porter's reaction.
- Macbeth's hanging got the most visceral reaction from the audience of all my visits -- lots of gasps, some cries, and shouts. Douglas Burkhardt's Macbeth really does a good job showing a huge range of complex emotions as he reaches for the noose around his neck.
- Stella (Karen Marie Richardson) ended the night at the Manderley with a hilarious rendition of Close Your Eyes. Her WIB is always a delight to see, and a constant reminder of being at home at the McKittrick.
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Sleep No More #4 2/21/22
I have visited Sleep No More four times over the past two weeks, when I first discovered this magical gem of a performance. Since then, my thoughts and music have been absorbed by the show, and I wanted to document some of my experiences going forward to be able to read and reflect on these in the future.
Without further ado:
- I am still trying to learn all the performers' names. I definitely have had my favorites that I have gravitated towards over the past visits, but I am still trying to explore every character's narrative and every performer's style.
- We got let off on the stair entrance for the first time, which was nice to be able to immediately get to the 3rd floor where I wanted to follow Lady Macduff, but I did miss the elevator speech from my first visits.
- Lady Macduff's story is so sad to watch. It was nice to be able to follow her on the first loop with no one else around, and it meant that I could watch her as she flitted around with sorrow and longing on her face. Her dance with the white dress caught me off guard, and I reached for her hand when she extended it before I realized she was dancing with an imaginary Macduff. Sorry!
- The acrobatics of Lady Macduff and Mrs. Danvers' in the dining room with the milk was enthralling! I have no idea how the former manages it with the fake pregnant belly.
- I went in thinking I would spend my second loop with Porter, but accidentally ran into Hecate (Camara), and couldn't keep my eyes off her performance -- absolutely stunning.
- When she goes to eat the beet/heart before spitting out the ring, I thought it was really funny that her plate has some kale leaves next to the organ. Even Hecate needs to eat her vegetables!
- The lip sync was so eerie -- I had listened to the Tony Bennett cover before, but the audio in that scene was warped and felt so unsettling. Creepy good.
- I am so glad I watched Hecate the whole time during the rave. Her facial expressions, her movements, and her swagger was so cool. She was completely in control the entire time. There were other white masks who glanced to me as if asking why on earth I wasn't looking at the witches and Macbeth, but I was absolutely captured by Hecate.
- I somehow managed to run into the 6th floor nurse while walking around the floors. She took me up for my second 1-1 on the sixth floor, which was as breathtaking and mystical as my first time.
- I got my first walkout with Sexy Witch! I couldn't tell if she was still in character on the walkout, and she kept staring at me and smiling widely as she guided me to the Manderley which freaked me out a bit. She gave a small kiss on my mask as she left.
- Nearly the whole cast was hanging out at the bar afterwards! I introduced myself to Brandon Coleman, who I had followed intensely as both Banquo and Nurse my previous visits, and he was just the absolute nicest to talk to. Such an amazing experience to see the cast outside of the violence and drama of the hotel.
I am already counting down the days to my next visit. Maybe this next time I'll actually manage to follow Porter!
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