Inspired by "Sleep No More" (immersive theater by Punchdrunk)?

[Psyringe]

After reading up on "Sleep No More", I really have to ask - was "The Sexy Brutale" inspired by this play?

"Sleep No More" is an immersive theatrical experience that has run in various versions since 2003. It takes place not on a stage, but in an entire building with many rooms. The audience is not seated, each spectator is free to move through the building, follow any actor, watch any scenes they encounter, or inspect any object (some of which help to understand the story). Spectators wear Venetian masks and the actors apparently do not react to them (apart from special occasions). The story loops three times per day and then comes to a finale.

This matches "The Sexy Brutale" uncannily well - the mansion with many rooms, the fact that the story loops and takes place throughout the building, the fact that the audience is free to follow whomever they like (and that several spectations may be necessary to understand the full story), even the details like the Venetian masks ... that seems too good of a fit to be mere coincidence, right?

So I'm really curious now. ;)

Here's some information about "Sleep No More", if you're interested:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_No_More_(2009_play)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR0MPk69Iao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xmSJC6LRIY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSF_hM9elRg

[Psyringe]

It seems that I was far more curious about these astonishing similarities than practically anybody else. ;)

[★Kawasaky]

after playing the game I was thinking the same. Reminded me a lot to punchdrunk stageplays, not sleep no more but the drowned man.

Man, a game of immersive theatre punchdrunk alike in VR and I would throw money.

[damien.detch]

For having attended Sleep No More in New York some years ago, and now that I'm playing the game, I can say that, unfortunately, apart from wearing mask and wandering into a mansion, The Sexy Brutale and Sleep No More don't have much in common.

Certainly not the story, and the atmosphere is somewhat different. Though I'm enjoying The Sexy Brutale very much, I must say that Sleep No More was one of the most immersive and exciting theater experiences I have ever had the chance to do. I you have the opportunity to do it, you will never forget it.

[★Kawasaky]

I just read this today from the developers


With The Sexy Brutale, Cavalier Games was treading new ground in non-linear storytelling. The team took inspiration from immersive theatre, the sort created by Punchdrunk, where the story is happening around the player, who is infiltrating it and affecting it from within.

“Obviously Punchdrunk has dealt with these problems before and people have written narratives that go on all around you,” says Griffiths. “So it’s not a completely unknown problem. But what we were doing in terms of threading gameplay and puzzles through it, that’s quite different. What is interesting about the narrative is the fact that it’s telling two stories at the same time. You’ve got the events of the day itself and all the character’s movements across the house. That’s one big story.


https://www.mcvuk.com/development/when-we-made-the-sexy-brutale

[Psyringe]

Originally posted by ★Kawasaky:

I just read this today from the developers

Wow, thanks! That was exactly what I was curious about. Extra thanks for keeping my old question in mind when you read this article!