Spine-chilling theatrical take on Russian Sleep Experiment

“This military-sanctioned scientific experiment, which was performed during the late 1940s, saw Russian researchers keep five prisoners of war awake for fifteen days using an experimental gas-based sleep inhibiting stimulant,” says Hari. On the fourteenth day, upon looking inside, it was discovered that four subjects had survived but were in a condition beyond human understanding.

Many have debated that this is a mere urban legend since the only account of it was provided in 2010 by an anonymous blogger named Orange Soda. It, however, became a rage online and inspired a book, short film, many conspiracy theories and now, a play to be directed by Hari. He couldn’t stop thinking about the horror story which eventually led him, along with script writer Shruti Parasuraman, to spin a unique tale around it. It will be staged by 15 actors in the show titled UH1317.

He explains, “Myth says that the experiment was supposed to last for 30 days but half way through unforeseen events cause the trial to come to a stop. In our play, which is a psychological thriller, we aim to answer what went on in that chamber and whether the experiment was a success or not.”

Most of the cast members have prior experience in theatre and Hari spent time training the others to star in UH1317. He narrates, “As a director, I’m thrilled that the cast has really taken the script to heart and are acting with passion. However, for the actors and myself, researching about the Russian Sleep Experiment and understanding what really went on has been a huge challenge — we’ve all had sleepless nights and bad dreams.”

The second hurdle the team faced was that no one was willing to come forth and fund such an offbeat play. “Before we speak to anyone about our production, we usually give out the disclaimer that the content is violent and disturbing in nature. This put many producers off but moreover, since we’re a young theatre company, they weren’t willing to back us for the lack of a brand value,” says the director. This didn’t discourage the team but instead propelled them to self-finance the show under home banner Light and Blind Productions. This is the second play to be churned out by the venture; the first was Tamil play Yaman vs Women that was staged in 2018.