The first and only podcast bringing you weekly case studies in the pop culture of a dying empire. Every Wednesday, co-hosts Josh, Brian, and A.J. dissect an artifact of popular culture, breaking down how its narrative choices reflect or subvert the reactionary political project. From video games to movies to theater to an apparently infinite supply of evangelical Christian radio drama, we expose the machinations of the worst of all possible worlds in order to figure out how to build a better one. Also, we have bits.
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123 - Sleep No More (feat. Dara Swisher)
123 - Sleep No More (feat. Dara Swisher)
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall
Dara Swisher (Here I Am) and the lads grab their masks and book a stay at the McKittrick Hotel as they dive into the deep secrets and complicated legacy of the industry-defining immersive theater piece: Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More. Topics include the history of immersive theater, the seductive appeal of tracksuits, and the eternal battle between the production of theater and the monolith of real estate.
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Dara Swisher: Twitter // Instagram
HERE I AM: Website // Tickets // Instagram
Media Referenced in this Episode:
- Sleep No More. Punchdrunk. Dir. Felix Barrett and Maxine Doyle. 2011.
- The Tragedie of Macbeth by William Shakespeare
- Rebecca. Dir. Alfred Hitchcock. United Artists, 1940.
- On the History of Immersive Theater:
- Dionysis in ‘69: Full Film by Brian de Palma. 1970.
- “Drag, Disco, and the Donkey” by James Montaño. Howlround Theatre Commons. October 23rd, 2019.
- “El Teatro Campesino: Our History”
- Hell House. Dir. Alex Timbers. 2006.
- F I N D H I M
- “In 1901, you could pay 50 cents to ride an airship to the Moon” by Ron Miller. Gizmodo, May 31st, 2012.
- “So Long Ago, I Can’t Remember” Review by Neil Genzlinger. NYTimes, April 20th, 2001.
- Sleep No More Resources/Articles:
- Sleep No More Synopsis
- Sleep No More Story Chart
- Felix Barrett on Sleep No More by BUILD Series.
- “Meet Emursive, The Company Behind 'Sleep No More,' The Off-Broadway Production That's Been Sold Out For Three Years” by Hollie Slade. Forbes. March 19th, 2014.
- “Performers and Staffers at ‘Sleep No More’ Say Audience Members Have Sexually Assaulted Them” by Amber Jamieson. Buzzfeed News. Feb 6th, 2018.
- “Sleep No More: From Avant Garde Theatre To Commercial Blockbuster” by Alexis Soloski. The Guardian. March 31st, 2015.
- “Sleep No More to Close in January” by Alexis Soloski. NYTimes. November 8th, 2023.
- “‘Sleep No More’ Venue Gets $27M Refi From Signature” by Matt Grossman. Commercial Observer. May 8th, 2018.
TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com
Commercial: “An Evening at The McKittrick Hotel with Detective Rupert Cadell”