Synopsis

A dimly lit hotel room

An aging man engages in a series of increasingly intense encounters with a young chambermaid. As their conversations unfold over several nights, they dance around themes of desire, power, and manipulation. The man, possibly a teacher or philosopher, shares disturbing stories from his past and shows the girl pornographic images, all while maintaining an air of intellectual superiority. Meanwhile, the chambermaid gradually reveals her own complex history and growing understanding of their dynamic. As rumors swirl about a suicide and a missing person, the tension between them builds to a fever pitch, blurring the lines between victim and aggressor.

Chías crafts a claustrophobic, psychologically charged drama that explores the dark undercurrents of human sexuality and the power dynamics between men and women. Through fragmented dialogue and shifting perspectives, the play creates an atmosphere of unease and moral ambiguity. “On Insomnia and Midnight” is a provocative examination of predatory behavior, consent, and the ways in which trauma and desire can become inextricably linked.