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| Photo via the New York Times. |
At the suggestion of many reviews and blog posts, my friends and I arrived early, and not without a few strong drinks in our systems. Going down a long, dark hallway, we ambled into coat check (mandatory) and were given our hotel “room key”. From there we were led up a blindingly dark staircase. Once we finally made it to the lounge, we were greeted by a few flirty waitresses in a cabaret style lounge. The wait staff and performers were dressed in early 20th century garb: flapper dresses for the women and stylish waistcoats for the men. Choosing a small table near the piano, my friends and I sat down to compare “room keys”. Which were in fact stylized playing cards. Of the three of us, there was a 5 and two 4’s. I switched my four of spades out for a five of hearts— my two friends didn’t look so keen on the idea of being split up, but with my inhibitions lowered, I was in the mood for adventure. We were offered a shot of Absinthe “for the nerves” from one of the roaming waitresses; no sooner did we oblige, and they were calling people in to the hotel. My friends made a hasty exit, downing their drinks with gusto. Waiting for my number to be up, I went back to enjoying the soulful voice of the smooth jazz singer.
“Would all guests bearing the 5 card please step this way.” I anxiously followed the porter into an adjacent room, along with 10 or so other audience members. The door locks behind us and a slender, ethereal woman, introducing herself as Celeste, explains the ground rules as she and her cohorts hand us the now- iconic white, Venetian masks. “No speaking, don’t take off your mask, and if you need guidance, the black-masked people are your angels”. Easy enough for my wandering, excited, and more-than-a-little-inebriated mind to grasp. We’re led into a freight elevator, and whisked away to several destinations.
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| The mask and the hotel playing card. I kept mine as souvenirs. |
Much of the next 3 hours went along like this, stories of one actor weaving into another, themes playing over and over again, the entire scene resetting itself after an elaborate dance in the ballroom. Most reviews recommend picking one character and sticking with them the night, but I found this to be next to impossible. I followed one woman (a witch) for a short period of time, and often found myself in a dead run just to keep up. I instead resigned myself to taking in as much of the scenes as I could, and examining the smaller details.
Eventually, the mind begins to piece together the dreaded tale. That room back there with the dismembered dolls floating above a baby crib? Symbolism for Lady Macbeth’s ruthless murder of the MacDuff children. That abandoned room with the elaborate tented bed? Soon to be the scene of the crime; the murder of Banquo takes place here among the decorative pillows. The acting was surreal, the costumes stained by the dancers movements through blood, whiskey and tears. As you piece together the story of Macbeth for yourself (or not: a knowledge of the Scottish play is not a prerequisite for enjoying the impeccable costumes, flawless dance moves, and attention to detail brought to the scenery), you are taken captive in a world that becomes as real as the dirt smeared across the bedding.
Memorable moments:
- The death of Banquo was incredibly chilling, and one of the few times words were uttered throughout the play. The scenes following were well performed, and the cast’s anguish was acutely felt.
- The Candy Room! I was very pleased to find a room full of sweets to munch on, particularly since I came across it two hours in and dinner was so far behind me.
- The Final Act. I couldn’t help but let out a short gasp, truly out of fright, once the final banquet was over. Most of the audience stood in complete silence for 5 or more minutes before the confused clapping started, and to me that is the mark of a truly touching theatre experience.
What I would change:
- I was less than thrilled that coat check was not only mandatory (I don’t trust coat checks, and my bag was really small), but at a cost. If you are charging $85 for an event, and insist on having guests leave their things behind, the very least you can do is offer to store them for free.
- The hotel was too dark to begin. I understand the atmosphere is necessary, but slowly lowering the lighting in each room leading up to the lounge would have prevented myself and others from spending five or more minutes trying to go through the wrong door because the path wasn’t clearly lit. This was all before the masks, so it wasn’t really necessary to the atmosphere.
I consider the experience to be one of my defining moments of my time in New York, and I am already itching to return. After the night’s events, I reunited with my friends in the hotel lounge, where we traded stories. One of the girls was gifted a necklace from a Witch, the other was entreated to assist Macbeth in his ritualistic dressing. We walked home together, sharing our stories and realizing that though we had set out to see the same play, we each came back with a slightly different idea of how things had unfolded. These minor discrepancies, while physically placing us apart, brought us together in the end.
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| The charm from the necklace my friend was given. She added it to her bracelet. |
