Eredien's Journal

Sleep No More: ab3nd, lutris, and I went to the ART's production of Sleep No More, a Hitchcockian adaptation of Macbeth, last night.

Oh my God. I can't tell you how awesome this show was. I literally cannot. I can say "it was like walking through a Jan Svenkmayer film," or I can say, "this is like being in a dream of the setting of my novel-in-progress," or I can say, "the actors violated my personal boundaries without my express consent and that experience was awesome enough despite the fact that I was somewhat triggered that I am still going back again," or "every basin was tinted crimson," and I can tell you I came home and rax said, "you look like you just had sex with a play," and I can say, "mandrake-patterned wallpaper," but that will not tell you about this show.

If you can get to this show, go. Just go. Yes, it's expensive. It is worth every penny and I would have paid twice as much had I known before going in what I was going to experience.

rushthatspeaks and nineweaving need especially to see this.

A few caveats & notes:
- For those who have motion/balance problems, there is a lot of walking/running around and actors expecting you to get out of their way as they dance or walk or run. One grabbed me by the hand and pulled me into a side room. If you decide to go, I suggest calling the box office first and letting them know you need accomodation. I think they are probably able to provide it and know that the venue itself is wheelchair-accessible.
- There is a place where you can go to relax and get out of the intense atmosphere of the play, and there are helpers who are stationed at various places who you can talk to or ask for help. If I had made use of these resources it would have been better, emotionally, for me.
- For those who are sensitive to smells and/or have sinus issues: bring your medicine with you. Take it beforehand if you need to. Some of the rooms smell very bad on purpose. They smell worse to those people with sensitive noses (I almost threw up when I opened the door to one smelling of mothballs, which is a smell that I am particulary sensitive to and particularly hate (note: yes, I am gladly returning to this play)).
- For those with glasses, if you can wear contacts, they are highly recommended. If not, try to wear non-tinted glasses.
- There is a strobe light in one part of the play. I never saw it because I was never there at the point that it was being used; so you can avoid it. There is also a lot of walking. Wear comfy shoes. Those two warnings are actually listed on the website.
- There are alcoholic beverages available. Apparently they are made with awesome, plot-appropriate things like rosemary.
- You can, I believe, go out of the "relax" area, get your hand stamped, go outside, and then come back in.
- At the end of the play everyone is gently herded into the "relax" area, which rapidly becomes crowded and raucous and noisy and filled with music and people. I was a little bit emotionally overwhelmed/panicky at that point and went and waited outside for a while, which was much quieter.
- There is a coat check, cost $2.
- If you tell the ushers on your way out that you are planning on coming back they will give you a coupon. If you don't you won't realize they are there (at least on my part).
- The place this is in Brookline is a pain to get to from the Camberville area. Parking is scarce. Foreplanning recommended.
- Items received: a playing card with mandrakes on the back, used to call the staggered groups. A packet of "mandrake" seeds from Cawdor Seed Co. A page torn out of an old Bible, folded into an envelope, and filled with salt-as-grave-dust.

Cupcakes: I also baked 36 mini vegan cupcakes from my shiny new copy of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World for tomorrow's BMC Holiday Party. Mawrters in Boston, let me know if you want to come, 'cause you have to RSVP!

Gardening: The bulbs (crocus and hyacinth) I planted this spring near the garage are blooming now because they think it is spring, which seems reasonable given the current weather (cold, but sunny, and little snow which melted quickly). This is unfortunate as soon there will be 6" snow on them and then they will die. What should I do?