The Shanghai edition of the immersive drama Sleep No More has marked its 2,500th performance, since its premiere nine years ago.

Over this period, the production has drawn more than 700,000 viewers and generated over 600 million yuan ($86.38 million) in total revenue.

An award-winning benchmark of immersive theater, Sleep No More is the groundbreaking production from Punchdrunk that reimagines Shakespeare's Macbeth through a dark cinematic lens.

Ticket-stub economy has generated at least 4 billion yuan in additional consumption, and more than 10 billion yuan in cumulative industry value across sectors including culture and tourism, commercial real estate, and brand partnerships.

Renowned for its consistently high-quality content, professional venue operations, and innovative brand marketing, Sleep No More continues to smash domestic records for immersive live performances.

The first batch of 10,000 tickets sold out within 100 hours. Average attendance exceeds 85 percent, rising to more than 96 percent during holidays and special themed editions.

In 2025, over 61.8 percent of the audience came from outside the city or country. These visitors stayed in Shanghai for an average of one to two days longer than typical tourists.

As a result, Sleep No More has emerged as a major gateway to Shanghai's nightlife economy, cultural consumption, and international tourism offerings.

The production is estimated to boost tourism-related spending among ticket holders by more than 65 percent, particularly in areas such as late-night dining and luxury accommodation.

To further expand the immersive entertainment market, Shanghai Media Group has developed a business matrix that balances the introduction of global IPs with original productions.

In January, the immersive musical Arcane, which is adapted from the animated series inspired by the video game League of Legends, celebrated its global premiere in Shanghai.

Looking ahead, the company plans to continue introducing and co-developing world-class immersive IP projects, including Masquerade, a reimagining of The Phantom of the Opera, the longest-running musical in Broadway history.

Source: Shanghai Observer