The McKittrick Hotel, known for its popular immersive theatrical experience, “Sleep No More,” has unlocked a mysterious new room for a limited time and, darling, you’re invited.
Not much is revealed about the space before you enter The Attic, except that you’re about to experience “The Lost Supper,” the venue’s newest mind-bending dinner party that’ll have you questioning reality.
I went along for the ride on a recent weeknight, not knowing what to expect. The McKittrick Hotel describes the theater event as a “surreal dinner party,” but other than that, all we knew about it were some rules that were laid out for us in a cryptic email from someone who called us “darling.”
The McKittrick Hotel appears fairly nondescript on the outside, but inside a wormhole awaits, one that sucks you in and throws you into another reality.
Without revealing too much, “The Lost Supper” was a twisted, early 1960s dinner party that inserts you into a glamorous but incredibly creepy woman’s narrative about the subconscious and the ways in which you can leave your reality and create your own world.
I was led to The Attic, which contains a dimly lit bar with plaster castings of hands sticking out of the wall, holding little table assignments like something out of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”
Before I realized it, we were whisked into what would become a fabulous dinner party with the coolest cats in red dresses and smart suits who quipped quickly with every single invited guest.
Our table’s charming hosts, Ed and Rex, were our guides, making rounds to each guest and dancing with the women in crimson. Eventually, they treated us to songs and performances as we sipped on our soups and munched on our Jell-O mold-shaped entrees.
The entire experience was like a scene out of a horrific video game (think, “BioShock” series) with the creepiness of Disney World’s Haunted Mansion ride, yet infused with ’60s-era American dream optimism.
For moments, it felt like I had really left New York City in 2018 and traveled back in time to a dreamlike (or nightmarish) version of the American dinner party.
This strange space soon became the reality and yet, leaving it felt like it may have never happened, as if it were all a dream.
“The Lost Supper” requires a willing spirit and an open attitude — its characters are your friends and you are invited to play along.
The experience is on through Aug. 18 Tuesdays through Saturdays at 530 W. 27th St. Visit events.mckittrickhotel.com for ticketing information.
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