(Or maybe it *was* actually happening.) To watch Phoebe run the character loops, and to read references to the real performers in her character files, and to be unsure of the boundary between the fictional world and real world. Stanford call “cut” when you thought something was actually happening. To realize that a character you thought was “real” was actually following a script. Or to wonder if a scene was really happening within the context of the show, or was the delusion of a character losing their mind. You could never be comfortable with your understanding of what was “real.” It was startling to walk into the bar in a mask, following a character, then realize the bar was actually populated with other audience members with their masks off.

I think that the great innovation of Drowned Man was the way that it blurred the boundaries between real reality, the “reality” of the show, the film within the show, and the dreams and delusions of the characters in the show. In a way I am hesitant to share thoughts because I know it is going to continue to evolve, but I don’t know when/if I’ll return, so I can only comment on what I’ve already seen.įirst, the question of whether this adds anything new to the Punchdrunk oeuvre, or is merely a rehashing of the New York show. We saw it steadily improve each day we were there. It’s totally worth seeing if you are a fan of Punchdrunk. Go, let yourself be completely surprised, and make up your own mind about it.*** ***If there is any chance at all that you will see the Shanghai show, please do not read this. As always, be warned that there will be spoilers, though I’ll keep it vague & try not to spoil anything significant. Here’s a wrap-up post with my overall thoughts on Sleep No More Shanghai. Sleep No More Shanghai - Concluding Thoughts

Sleep no more tumblr