Exhilarating Macbeth

I saw the premier of the ART's "Sleep No More" on Thursday night and am still digesting it. If you are a traditionalist, you will not like the participatory nature of this production, or the requirement to wander and explore. It is a totally immersive experience. Bizarre and surreal. The darkness, peculiar sets and the actors' performances in various rooms was disorienting -- in a good way.

I felt like I was visiting a museum from the 1930's which had just been reopened. But there were actors and actresses performing around me, references to the 1500's and Macbeth, interesting smells, curious floor coverings, and the odd juxtaposition of school hallways and lockers -- all of which contributed to the dream-like state of the theater goers.

The bar which begins and ends the show is a clever idea. It's actually essential for those couples and friends who get separated to rendezvous. My favorite area was the Collector's Room, and the two-headed skeleton under the dusty glass.

Overall, Sleep No More was mysterious and exhilarating at the same time. Quite an imaginative staging of Macbeth. Congratulations to Diane Paulus and the ART for its courage in introducing Boston audiences to the Punchdrunk concept of participatory theater. Bravo!