03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
'Sleep No More' brings immersive ‘Macbeth'-inspired noir to Seoul
The immersive theater sensation "Sleep No More" has arrived in Seoul, launching preview performances ahead of its official premiere on Aug. 21.
A hypnotic, wordless reimagining of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" set in a 1930s noir universe, the production transforms the historic Daehan Cinema in Chungmuro into the McKithan Hotel, a sprawling, dimly lit labyrinth built exclusively for the show.
The experience draws additional inspiration from classic noir films, particularly the works of Alfred Hitchcock, and takes its name from Macbeth's line: 'Methought I heard a voice cry, 'Sleep no more: Macbeth does murder sleep.''
Audience members, required to wear white masks provided upon entry, are invited to wander through the hotel at will, free to follow different performers and explore scenes unfolding simultaneously across multiple floors and rooms.
Some guests linger to sift through intricate set details, while others chase actors through shadowy hallways, piecing together a narrative of betrayal, desire and murder -- all told entirely through movement and cinematic staging.
Produced by the British company Punchdrunk, "Sleep No More" helped pioneer immersive storytelling, inviting audiences to shape their own theatrical experience by choosing where to go and whom to follow.
Since its 2003 London premiere, the show has staged acclaimed runs in Boston, New York and Shanghai.
The Seoul production, open to audiences 19 and older, runs until Sept. 30.
