let the right one in : i’ll pass, thank you

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The Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s current production LET THE RIGHT ONE IN,  Jack Thorne’s stage adaptation  of John Alvide Lindqvist’s very successful novel and film, directed by Alexander Berlage, is the Company’s last mainstream production for the year.

I read a bit about the show before going to see it. I read that one of the main characters was a vampire, and that the play was a modern day horror story, a supernatural  thriller, that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Now reading this was a red flag to me. I can handle thrillers, up to a point at least, but I’m not a fan of vampire nor of horror nor of supernatural stories.

I also read that it was a bit of an ill fated, star crossed, love story between its two young characters, two outsiders, lonely, bullied teenager Oskar, and Eli, an odd girl, who has moved in next door, and doesn’t go to school or ever leave her flat. This sounded a bit more my style.

As reticent as I was, I decided to go along and give it a try.

It wasn’t long into the play that I realised yes, my gut instinct was right, I wasn’t going to like this play. There was a lot of violence in the play with some of the male characters being simply just brutish thugs. I  was sitting fairly close to the stage and the violence was very confronting. The violence got worse as the  play proceeded. It was made more chilling by the very edgy dramatic soundscape and hugely effective, frightening  lighting design.

I saw the play through to the end.

A lot of the audience stood up at the end of the performance and gave the cast a very enthusiastic standing ovation.

On one level I could understand the applause. The acting was outstanding, from the two leads through to the supporting cast. Production values were also first class.

The play itself though, I just couldn’t take to it. I guess, to use a popular expression, I just didn’t ‘get it’.

Not much I can do about that…

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is playing the Eternity Playhouse, Darlinghurst until 20 November 2022. Performance times Tuesdays at 6.30pm, Wednesdays to Saturdays at 7.30pm, Saturday matinees at 2pm, Sundays at 1pm. Running time 2 hours 40 minutes including a twenty minute interval.

http://www.darlinghursttheatre.com