Review by Kristin Ramsey

“Night after night…”

Whether drunkenly shouting, sitting in devastating silence, or recounting movie plots, the characters in Three More Sleepless Nights bring to life uncomfortably strained human relationships. In the late hours of the night, when the world becomes quiet and they can’t ignore their troubles any longer, each couple reaches a breaking point—and you’re invited into the bedroom to watch.

New theatre company “O, o, o, o” has mounted an innovative production of Caryl Churchill’s three-act play. The show takes place in a different apartment each night—the first half of the run took place in east Vancouver, and the remaining shows are staged around the South Granville area. Finding ten willing hosts within walking distance of the two meeting locations (all remaining shows begin at Studio 16 on Granville Street) was clearly no small feat, just one example of O, o, o, o’s commitment to creating a distinct audience experience.

Themes of intimacy transcend the play and become part of the viewing experience too. As we’re told by director Conor Wylie after walking (alongside the cast!) to the evening’s venue, each member of the audience is responsible for his or her own viewing experience. Wylie likens this to being your own cameraman: choose close-ups or long shots as you please, walk around, sit down, follow the action. You’re watching the story unfold in someone’s real personal space, so be prepared to get close to the actors and cozy with your fellow audience members.

Furthermore, like the audience, the actors have never been in the space before, so they encounter and explore their set and props live in front of viewers. Watching the rehearsed alongside the improvised adds yet another unique dimension to the production, and it is captivating from start to finish. Three More Sleepless Nights is certainly a standout in the Fringe’s 2012 lineup, snag one of the last few tickets if you can.

Find more information and showtimes for Three More Sleepless Nights at the Vancouver Fringe Festival website.