So, longer format review at some point, but my thoughts are generally:
I liked it! I took a wholly different approach to experiencing this show than I did with Sleep No More, and so I can't lie, I definitely feel like I need to get back and just experience it again. SNM, I just let the night guide me, with no particular interest in following specific characters, and so maybe saw a handful of scenes play out. With L&T, I don't think I made it 3 or so minutes without finding another show scene, so definitely felt the increase in actors wholesale.
Strangely enough too, I found myself following a specific character for most of the night, Davenport, Dr. Kellog's assistant. I have no particular reasoning behind why, I just found myself drawn in by her, starting with a scene
where she and Dr. Kellog share a, uh, drink together
. Over the course of the loop it had a lovely little arc that played out, so it was really spectacular to follow a storyline this time around
From the spectral shower scene after the poisoning, to getting her fortune read (complete with some fun séance magic, blood letting and leeches, down to her drunkenly bursting onto stage with the vaudevillians
. I am sad I didn't get to exactly follow her further, as I lost track of her after the last bit and I didn't want to be that uncaring black mask who runs through a scene to chase a character.
Structurally I think I did feel as if it was shorter than SNM. I ended up with the last time slot, but our reservation was very last minute anyway, so I can't complain, but the lack of a distinct reset also made the whole night feel as if it was one big story, rather than loops. I know demonstrably it was the same length as SNM, but perhaps it was a combo of only two loops, no banquet style scene (or I completely missed it at least) and the later timeslot that did it to me.
I did very much enjoy the world building with the preshow (no strobes!) and the finale was incredibly high energy, which I did love! Definitely going to need to do this at least once more to really start to get a feel for things! And I absolutely know there were at least four or five rooms I never even set foot in!
My fiancé was very impressed by the vibes and atmosphere, but he definitely struggled a little with the non-linear storytelling and movement focus. He has been jokingly exaggeratedly dance-acting random small things around the house for weeks now (think Liza Minelli Turning Off a Lamp, but more dramatic, haha) so at the very least it DID have an impact on him, whether he wants to admit it or not, lolol. He has said he would go back if it was a slightly discounted price and he could read more into the lore to know what to piece together.
All in all, I would say positive, but I may have enjoyed SNM just a tad more as a first time experience! Can't wait to go back for more eventually!