Sleep No More – my experience

I can’t contain my excitement.
I thought I’d post about my Sleep No More experience later, but I had too much fun reminiscing.
My memory is not keen on the sequences or details of events. I will just portray the ecstasy.

SPOILERS BELOW

When I arrived at the McKittrick Hotel, I was completely out of breath.

My geographically-challenged self had ran many blocks desperately searching for the entrance. I was super late.

Much to my dismay a huge line had formed.

In my hour of wait, I conversed with a lovely lady.

She couldn’t believe I rode the bus from Boston just to see this show. I couldn’t believe she could parse my ecstatic speech. I was hyper.

I noticed Hitchhock graffitis along the exterior wall. I thought they were charming coincidences, instead of deliberate details. A plate near the front door warmed my heart. It referenced Manderly, a storied mansion from one of my favorite books: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

Finally inside, a well-dressed gentleman greeted me.
“Is this your first time staying with us at the McKittrick Hotel?”

With a nodd, I was handed my room key and a mask.

The 13 of spades, how lucky!

Donning my mask, I ventured into a dark, weaving corridor. I was apprehensive.

Slowly, the corridor metamorphosed into a gorgeous 1940s lounge, with ladies in dazing dresses and a wonderful small band.

A courteous gentleman escorted me to the elevator, to enter the rest of the hotel.

A lovely lady in red announced the rules of the McKittrick Hotel. No talking, no electronics, and no removal of the mask.

With a loud THUD startlingly the silent audience, the elevator door opened, revealing an operator.

“Fortune favors the bold.”

The elevator stopped ascending, and people hustled out. Suddenly, the operator stopped a man, and closed the elevator doors. We were once again being transported.

When we finally emerged, a ballet was unravelling before me. A gentleman and a pregnant lady danced among the bookcases. I was enthralled. When the dance concluded, I dashed to the other rooms.

I was short on time. My bus back to Boston left at 10pm, which left only an hour for exploration. I climbed to the top floor. There I ran through the hospital, peeking under the covers of every bed I found. My glimpse of the operation chair triggered images in of mad patients under the hand of maniacal doctors.

I descended.

I found myself in a dark graveyard. The night howled and smoke loomed over the tombstones. I was alone. Slowly and timidly, I followed a small footpath.
A statue of a cloaked woman stood in the center, extending her hand. After starring at her for many minutes, I mustered up the courage to touch her. “Fortune favors the bold,” I muttered to myself.

The end of the graveyard gave way to large room with glass-paned walls. Encircled by a large crowd, a lady slowly danced around the room, spellbinding their gaze.

I noticed a bathtub on a dais pooled with rust colored water.

I proceeded out of the room and into the staircase.

I dashed to a floor with shoppes paving the walls. I watched as three masked guests pillaged the candy store. One of the guests kindly handed me a sweet from a jar before running to his own adventure.

I peered into another shop and saw a lady and a man quarreling. Papers were flung everywhere.
The lady shoved past all the guests and ran away into the streets. The man was left standing alone.

I found myself in a speakeasy bar.

A few guests watched the bartender intently. One was seated at the bar. Beside him was a water-filled glass. I desperately wanted the bartender to offer me a drink, but alas, he only shuffled a deck of cards.

I skittered onto a floor that situated me back at the McKittrick Hotel. Luggages dangled from a corner room. A dinning hall and a plush lounge warmly invited explorers. I glanced at the menu on well-set tables. Everything looked delicious.

A lady in dark dress came by the kitchen area of the dinning room and prepared a drink. The pregnant lady came by shortly after. She spread jam over a piece of toast, before requesting the drink. This began a spectacular danced spectacular dance on top of the tables.

They waltzed into the lounge with another man. They conversed through motions, depicting the the pregnant lady’s addiction to this drink. Before I finally snuck elsewhere, I nibbled on the toast. It was dry.

I found a forest, much a like the graveyard. There was a giant wolf staking among the trees.

I treaded quickly, until I found a hut with light. It was small, and locked. I pressed eye to the crack and made out a few photos and a small bed. I wished I could have stepped in.

I met up with the lady in black once again. I followed her to a shrine where a dead man laid on the altar. She danced on the the dead man, and he came alive! They exited the shrine together.

I happened onto my most intense scene of the night. Jollily turning a corner on a the hotel floor, I stumbled upon another gentleman and the pregnant lady dancing. He was a different person from the bookcase dancer. Something was dark about the dance. It became a struggle for the woman to get away. Just when she has freed herself, the man lifted her and slammed her repeatedly into the wall! BAM BAM BAM
She feel back with blood allover.

The gentleman dazedly jotted to a dark ballroom and glanced at a single beam of light. From the murder moments before to the haunting look of the gentleman, I was stunned.

My night ended when all the major characters gathered around a banquet table. The slow motion of the characters and the dazzling lights made the view unforgettable. I watched as a giant crowd gathered on the floor. It was magical.

I was very sad that I only spent an hour enjoying this marvelous performance. Compared to my friend’s experience, mine was extremely tame. I didn’t have any one-on-one interactions with the characters, nor did I see the witch’s rave. I’ve decided to attend for a second time. Hopefully I’ll catch the much coveted scenes.

As for my Sleep No More projects, they have trumped everything else. I’ll bring updates as soon as my plans finalize.