'Sleep No More' Turns Shikumen Complex Into Living Stage

This past weekend, internationally acclaimed immersive theater "Sleep No More" marked its ninth anniversary in Shanghai with a first-ever outdoor performance at Zhangyuan Garden, transforming the historic shikumen (stone-gated) complex into a living stage.

In 45 minutes, over a dozen classic compositions were reimagined and performed live by a full band and world-class dancer. As night fell, Zhangyuan and Maoming Road N. weekend-and-public-holiday-only pedestrian street came alive, with audiences bathed in warm light and surrounded by McKinnon-style sets, fully enveloped in the performance.

The special anniversary edition will return for two nights on December 20-21. Through December 19, visitors can redeem a ticket by spending 288 yuan (US$41) in a day – or using 288 loyalty points – at Zhangyuan.

Over nine years in Shanghai, "Sleep No More" has staged nearly 2,500 performances, welcomed over 700,000 audiences, and generated more than 610 million yuan in revenue, making it Asia's longest-running immersive theater. Visitors from other provinces and overseas now account for 62 percent of the audience.

"Sleep No More" now performs regularly at the McKinnon Hotel theater at 1013 Beijing Road N.

If you go:

Date: December 20-21, 5pm-6pm

Venue: Zhangyuan Garden 张园

Address: 258 Maoming Road N. 茂名北路258号