Hello everyone~~!
How are you spending this hot and humid summer?!
Our UniqueGood Company members went on a business trip to Shanghai for 4 days from July 9th to 12th :)
Through this business trip
1. We developed a world-type Realworld where you solve missions while exploring the Shanghai Xintiandi area (it's no secret that it will open soon♡)
2. We experienced the Sleep No More theater and got inspiration for the 'theater type' that Realworld will newly present!
So we want to share our experience of Sleep No More with you! :)
Sleep No More left all our members in fresh shock!
Let's start the review right now!!!
Sleep No More, what exactly is it?
Before the full review!! You must be wondering what Sleep No More is all about!!!
First, let me briefly tell you about Sleep No More's story and nature!
1. Story
Sleep No More's main storyline is based on Shakespeare's play 'Macbeth'!
So characters like Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, King Duncan, and three witches appear!ㅎㅎ
"Do I need to know all of Macbeth's story before watching Sleep No More?!"
No!!! You don't need to know it!!!!! Just knowing this main part of Macbeth!
[Macbeth, Scotland's greatest general, meets three witches on his way back from a victorious war and hears a prophecy that he will become king.
This causes Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth to become consumed by desire, and they eventually kill several people including King Duncan.] is enough :)
But after checking many reviews! In the actual play, characters other than those from Macbeth also appear.
There are also Macduff, Lady Macduff, Rebecca's line from Catherine Campbell, and the White Snake story line of the snake bride and groom!!!!! Shocking.
So there are three storylines in total! (But everyone! When you actually watch it, you don't really know...ㅎㅎ.. who this person is or what this scene is...ㅎ)
2. Silent Drama
Usually in plays or musicals, the story unfolds mainly through the actors' dialogue, right?!
But Sleep No More is a silent drama with no dialogue!!! So even I, who doesn't speak Chinese, could watch it comfortably:)
Instead of dialogue, the actors sometimes make mumbling sounds, but they express everything mainly through gestures, expressions, and dance!
Despite the difficulty of conveying emotions and developing the story without dialogue, the actors perform flawlessly and perfectly ㅠㅠ♡
But there's a downside - without dialogue, you can't tell if the actor in front of you is Macbeth or who they are!
If it weren't a silent drama, you could know which role an actor is playing through dialogue like "Oh, Macbeth!"
So I think it's good to know a bit about the characters' appearance and scenes through other people's reviews before watching Sleep No More! :)
3. Immersive Theater
Sleep No More's biggest attraction and characteristic is that it's an audience-participatory play!
Usually when we think of theater, actors perform on stage and the audience watches from their seats, right?!
But Sleep No More is an immersive theater that makes the audience actively participate in the work! :)
Sleep No More's story unfolds on 5 floors of the 'McKinnon Hotel' (it's not a real hotel but the name of the theater building!)
Since there's no separate stage and audience area, actors freely move through all floors and rooms while performing. Interesting, right?ㅎㅎ
Therefore, audiences can watch in various ways - following one actor they want, staying on one floor, or following actors they meet while wandering around!!! :) For example, in scenes where two or more actors are performing, you might meet companions who were following different actors, or you might sit across from an actor at a table where they're eating! Only those who've experienced it can know that thrill :)
So depending on which actor you follow and where you are, audiences have different experiences.
Also, since there's no boundary between stage and audience, it's hard to distinguish between actors and audience. So all audience members must wear masks!
If you take off your mask because it's stuffy, the guards in black masks stationed throughout McKinnon Hotel will stop you :)
Finally, immersive theater is called audience-participatory theater in Korea. Sleep No More fits audience-participatory theater perfectly!!!
Because when you follow an actor earnestly, you make eye contact and connect with that actor, and in that moment! that actor extends their hand to the audience.
If you take that hand, only that one audience member gets to have a completely new experience...♡ Like dancing with the actor, or going alone into a room that only that actor can enter! This experience is called 1:1! It's a one-on-one experience with the actor ㅎㅎ
I was so charmed by this part that I still can't get over it...^_^
4. Other Information
Finally, let me give you information other than the story and content :)
*Performance time is 3 hours total, with one show from 19:00~22:00 on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday,
and two shows at 15:00~18:00 and 19:00~22:00 on Saturday and Sunday! (There are no performances on Monday and Tuesday!)
*Entry times can be seen in the photo below. There are four entry times, each 15 minutes apart, starting with the performance.
For the 19:00 performance, entry is divided into 19:00, 19:15, 19:30, and 19:45!
So people who bought 19:00 tickets can feel the audience gradually increasing :)
*The performance flow repeats every hour! That is, three loops run during the 3 hours.
So some audience members see the same scene up to three times!! (That's me~ that's me!)
*Ticket price was 750 yuan per person for weekday 19:00 entry :) It might be a bit expensive, but I think it's worth it ㅎㅎ
(Ticket prices may vary, so please check the website!)
*Ticket booking can be done on the website below, and you can also check detailed information about venue, prices, etc. on the website below :)
http://www.sleepnomore.cn/sleepnomore/index.htm
Everyone!!!! Have you been waiting long?!?!
Finally, it's time to experience the vivid review!!! :)
Shall we go meet the exciting review now?!
Fresh Shock, Sleep No More Review
Entering
On the rainy Wednesday, July 10th, the UniqueGood members arrived at Shanghai's McKinnon Hotel with very! excited hearts :)
Since we booked tickets to enter the 19:00 performance, we arrived at the hotel by 18:00 and got in line ㅎㅎ
Despite the rain, we were surprised to see people who had arrived earlier than us waiting ㅎㅎ
There are two lines to stand in. In the photo, the left line is for 19:00 performance entry, and the right line is for 19:15 performance entry :)
So we waited in the left line, and following staff guidance, we moved to the hotel entrance at 18:20!
After exchanging our reservation confirmation for tickets at the box office,
we passed the box office with excited hearts!!!!! McKinnon Hotel welcomed us beautifully :)
It was so pretty even before entering that we paused our steps for a moment ㅎㅎ
It was raining and we had a lot of luggage, but fortunately there were lockers before entering the hotel!!!
We put our large belongings (bags, umbrellas, etc.) except phones in the lockers and got in line to enter the hotel!
Finally! We enter the hotel at 18:30! Do you see the stairs going up in the rightmost photo above?!
Going up those stairs, staff members give you small black bags big enough for a phone.
You put your phone and ticket in that bag and follow the stairs to reach a dark passage where you can't see anything!
You really can't see anything, so you have to put your hand on the wall and follow it ㅠㅜ I was a bit scared... But there's nothing scary, so don't worry!
Following the winding wall for a while, you suddenly see red light!!!
A staff member hands out trump cards there ㅎㅎ
You take the trump card, put it in the small bag, and enter where the red light is visible!!
A beautiful Manderley Bar unfolds before your eyes!!! +0+
At Manderley Bar, we exchanged our tickets for cocktails and waited until 19:00 :)
(The 19:00 tickets for first entry include the price of one drink ㅎㅎ)
2 minutes before 19:00, a piano player and singer came on stage to perform a song,
and soon after, an MC in a white suit came on stage and talked with a singer in a black suit!
You need to pay attention here! While they talk in Chinese and English, they call out a trump card suit and number!
Then people with that card enter in order!
I received an Ace of Diamonds card, so I was called first and quickly entered the performance hall!!! ㅎㅎㅎ
(Oh, cards are called in order of Ace, 2, 3..., and people receive cards in A, 2, 3... order as they entered Manderley Bar!)
When you line up at the back of Manderley Bar, staff check your card, give you a mask, and seal the black bag with your phone!
This means you can't use your phone or take photos during the performance ㅎㅎ (So from now on, I don't have any photos I took ㅠㅠ!!)
Wearing the mask and going further inside!!! An elevator appears!
On the elevator, staff randomly let off a few people at each floor! You can't get off just because you want to :)
So I arrived alone on the 3rd floor, separated from the members :)
First Loop
But!!! It was so scary as soon as I got off!!!
Someone was dancing alone in a dark place full of graves...
Isn't that scary just thinking about it... So I froze for about 10 seconds...
(The set was so realistic, the atmosphere was dark, and the BGM was gentle...)
But since I had to write this post, I gathered courage and followed that actor!!!!
Since I had researched many reviews before going, I immediately recognized who that actor was!
But I won't tell you who that actor was since it could be a spoiler..!
Following that actor into a room, another actor entered. It was amazing.
But two UniqueGood members also entered following the actor who came into the room ㅎㅎ I was so happy :)
After watching the two actors perform and dance, I left the room and started wandering around different floors!
I encountered other actors and witnessed various scenes, but running around frantically to see as much as possible,
I was sweating within 30 minutes of the performance starting...
While wandering around, I witnessed the wild party that appeared in everyone's reviews without fail!
Even though I knew about this scene beforehand, it was really~~~~~ shocking...
(Everyone, if you hear loud thumping sounds somewhere, go straight to the 4th floor Leyuan...)
I was so shocked and scared that all strength left my legs...
After the wild party ended, I stayed there.
The actors dispersed, and only two actresses remained to start performing.
After that scene ended, I followed one actress :)
I followed her because she was so captivating...ㅎ
But! She extended her hand to me?!!!! Everyone?!!!!!
So I gently took her hand... and she took me to her room...
Other audience members couldn't enter, and it was just me and her one-on-one...
It was such a precious moment... I won't tell you the content in case of spoilers.
(If you're curious, contact me separately'-' 010-1004-****)
After the one-on-one with her, I came outside and there was really no one there.
The actors hadn't appeared, so others seemed to have moved elsewhere.
I also ran around looking for new actors, but I was completely unfocused due to the aftermath of the one-on-one... I was so happy
So I went to the 1st floor, and an amazing scene unfolded...
Actors gathered at a dining table, but it wasn't an ordinary scene. I won't spoil it so you can see for yourself ㅎㅎ
After one loop ended, the actors returned to the starting point of the second loop.
(Same as the start of the first loop! ※Review: Sleep No More repeats three loops at 1-hour intervals during 3 hours.)
Second Loop
In the second loop, I followed one of the three witches!
Following earnestly, at some point the actor extended her hand to me... oh my god...
I naturally took that hand... and she took me to her room...
In that room, I had another one-on-one with the actor that other audience members couldn't see...!!!!!
This is also a secret because of spoilers!
After the one-on-one ended and I came out of the room, wandering various places,
I saw the wild party again that shocked me in the first loop...ㅎ
I thought about running away, but since it's a masterpiece scene I might not see again, I watched it to the end :)
After that, I ran around very~~~~~ hard trying to find characters from the White Snake line, not the Macbeth line!
The White Snake line characters are on the top floor, which is really hard to find...
I finally found it with great difficulty!
But... that place was scarier than the graveyard... An atmosphere where something might jump out at any moment...ㅠㅠ
But I saw many scenes... I hope you all visit there at least once...!
After that, I headed to the 1st floor again and saw the second ending, same as the first ending ㅎㅎ
Final Loop
After the ending, the final loop started, and I decided to follow the witch who had a one-on-one with me in the second loop!
So I followed earnestly again!! And then!!! I got another one-on-one opportunity everyone... Maybe blessings come from living kindly...
In the final one-on-one, I danced with her!!! I was really happy ㅎㅎ
After the one-on-one with her ended, I ran around sweating again to see many things!
I wandered around looking for the White Snake line again, trying to find the top floor, and found it with difficulty...ㅎㅎ
It was eerie every time I went, almost making my legs give out, but I overcame the fear wanting to find the snake bride!!!!
But maybe because it was the final loop, too many people crowded in, so I couldn't see the actors up close ㅠㅠ
So I just went downstairs...!!!!!!!! They were having the wild party...haha
Yes... I saw the wild party three times ㅎㅎ But all three times were scary...ㅎㅎ
As time passed, the final ending scene started on the 1st floor,
and after presenting a shocking scene at the end, Sleep No More was over!
The End
Leaving McKinnon Hotel with regretful hearts...!!!!!
I witnessed the actors I had one-on-ones with leaving work!!!!!
I immediately ran over and took photos ㅎㅎ
This is how our first Sleep No More beautifully ended!
And returning to our accommodation, we had time to share the scenes each member saw!!!
This time was really fun!
We guessed which actors each other saw and learned about scenes we hadn't seen,
It was a moment when pieces of Sleep No More fit together like a puzzle ㅎㅎ
All members were satisfied with Sleep No More and said countless times that they wanted to see it again. :)
Such a new and fresh Sleep No More!!!!!
Realworld's Contemplation
Through this business trip, we spent time contemplating the question
'How can we present fresh projects like this Sleep No More in Realworld?' :)
So UniqueGood Company is preparing to newly present a theater type to you
based on what we experienced during this business trip, going beyond the existing Realworld.
Please show lots of interest and anticipation for the wonderful projects you'll experience through Realworld :)♡