Punchdrunk's SLEEP NO MORE Shanghai Celebrates Fourth Anniversary

Sleep No More turns four years old this December, which is a huge moment for Punchdrunk. The show is the second-longest running show in Shanghai theatre history, surpassing The Lion King. It is also the fastest selling theatrical production in the city.

Sleep No More recently passed the 1,000 performance mark in Shanghai, selling over 351k tickets since its launch in December 2016.

Sleep No More presents Shakespeare's classic tragedy Macbeth through a darkly cinematic lens and as an interactive theatrical experience unlike any other. Audiences move freely through the story, creating their own journeys deep within this film noir world. This re-imagined version of the original production of Sleep No More is set in the dimly-lit, McKinnon Hotel, Shanghai, in the 1930s. Presented across five storeys of an expansive, specially constructed building in the Jing'An District, audience members are encouraged to roam free, following the performers and themes as they unfold.

Taking a piece of classical literature and rendering it in an immersive setting like no other, Sleep No More engages the senses and presents the show in true Punchdrunk style. Packing a punch when it opened, the show broke all box office records, becoming the fastest selling theatrical production in the city.

Sleep No More is the first production of its kind in China and is a leading example of British theatre pushing the boundaries of form and subsequently going global. Established in 2000, Punchdrunk has previously had shows running in London, Boston and currently New York, contributing to approx 1.6m ticket sales globally since 2006.

Big in scale and ambition, Sleep No More, Shanghai is spread over 100 rooms and spans a performance time of three hours.

The production has attracted a number of super-fans. These loyal fanatics have described their passion for the show as addictive, developing a desire to understand every layer and tiny detail of the Sleep No More world. Some have experienced the show over 250 times!

Sleep No More is devised by Felix Barrett and Maxine Doyle. Their collaboration started in 2003, and with a fascination for non-theatrical spaces, their design and choreography incorporates modern dance, mime, sound and light effects with intricate, cinematic-quality stage design. Audiences find themselves in the middle of tales of love, hate, misery, happiness, intimacy and despair. Performed by an international cast including Chinese performers, the production has won a number of prestigious awards, including the Best Breakthrough Act at Shanghai's Annual TV and Culture Awards and the Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement in Connected Immersion Theatre.

The creative team for Punchdrunk's Sleep No More is Felix Barrett (Co-Direction, Co-Design and Lighting), Maxine Doyle (Co-Direction and Choreography), Livi Vaughan and Beatrice Minns (Co-Design), Stephen Dobbie (Sound Design), David Israel Reynoso (Costume Design), Colin Nightingale (Creative Producer) and Conor Doyle (Associate Choreographer & Associate Director).

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