The time slots are just entry times. The later your entry time, the less time you'll have in the space, because it ends at 10 pm (or 2 am for the late show). The story cycles through three times, though, so even if you enter the space in the middle of the story, you will have the opportunity to see scenes from the beginning once it starts over. The experience is really pretty non-linear unless you're able to stick with one character for the entire time -- and further, it doesn't
need to be linear -- so jumping in in the middle isn't really something you should view as a problem if you aren't able to get a 7 pm entry ticket. They don't kick out groups in favor of new entries, they just let the audience in a little bit at a time. The story restarts every hour, approximately, so the restarts aren't timed with new group entries. So if you go at 7:20, you'll be dropped into the middle of a cycle. If you go in at 8 pm, you'll be pretty close to the beginning of the second cycle, although when I went it was a good 15-20 minutes between when I stepped in the front door and when I got into the actual performance.
Basically, the entry works like this. You'll line up outside, and be allowed in at your entry time. You'll check your coat, bag, etc., and then go up to the box office to check in, where you'll be given your tickets. You'll go upstairs to the bar/holding area, and they'll start bringing people into the space a few at a time. The tickets are playing cards with numbers, and they'll call a series of numbers. They'll take you into a little room where they give out masks, explain a few rules and safety things, and then take you up in an elevator, dropping small groups of people off on each floor. Once you get dropped off, though, you will have completely free reign of the space. You can move around from room to room and floor to floor as much and as quickly as you please. The characters move and you are welcome to choose to follow them, but your path is not dictated at all. Nobody tells you where to go when (except at the very end for the final banquet scene). In fact, I think the stewards are actually not
allowed to tell you anything of that sort. (They can direct you toward the exit, etc. and are there for safety.)
Does that help?
A work of art is an invitation to love.
Updated On: 4/16/11 at 03:45 PM
