Let The Right One In |Apollo Theatre | Review

Let The Right One In
Is playing at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftsbury Avenue, London (nearest tube Picadilly Circus) for a strictly limited season (until September 27th)
Performances are at 7.45 each evening except Sunday
and at 3.00pm on Thursday and Saturdays

Website
http://www.apollotheatrelondon.co.uk/let-the-right-one-in/

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Background and Synopsis. (official blurb)
 A chilling tale of loneliness, love and legend

Oskar is a lonely boy from a broken home. He’s bullied at school and is longing for friendship. Eli is a troubled girl who’s just moved in next door. She never goes to school and is compelled to fill an eternal emptiness.

When a series of brutal killings plagues the neighbourhood, these two young misfits make a deep connection, sensing in each other a kindred spirit. But the shocking truth about Eli tests Oskar’s loyalty – and love – beyond all imaginable limits, in this chilling tale of loneliness, love and legend.

Tony and Olivier Award-winning director John Tiffany (Black Watch, Once) directs this major new production which was adapted for the stage by Jack Thorne following the international success of the original Swedish movie and the subsequent Hollywood remake. The creative team also include Olivier Award-winning associate director Steven Hoggett (Black Watch, Beautiful Burnout, American Idiot).

Marla Rubin and Bill Kenwright present The National Theatre of Scotland production in association with the
Royal Court

 

Video

Cast

Eli Rebecca Benson @RebJBenson
Oskar Martin Quinn
Jonny Graeme Dalling @graemedalling
Halmberg / Mr Avila Gavin Kean
Kurt / Jocke / Nils / Dad / Stefan Gary Mackey @realgarymackay
Haken Clive Mendus
Torkel/ Jimmy / Janne Angus Miller
Micke Cristian Ortega
Mum Susan Vidler

Creatives

Stage Adaptation Jack Thorne  @Jackthorne
Director John Tiffany
Associate Director Steven Hoggett
Set Designer Christine Jones
Lighting Designer Chahine Yavroyan
Sound Designer Gareth Fry
Special Effects Jeremy Chernick
Music Olafur Arnalds

What I think, (for what it’s worth):

Thanks to www.showsinlondon.co.uk I won these tickets in a competition. It is definitely not a show I would have bought tickets for. No jazz hands, no belly laughs and not a play I have heard of. Well out of my comfort zone.
Vampires? Really?
But I did enjoy it, the performances were very touching and I loved the relationship between Oskar (Martin Quinn) and Eli (Rebecca Benson), finding friendship in a world that has not been kind to them. The cast were great, and the two leads were believable as children. The gory bits were not too bad (I coped – didn’t even hide behind the scarf I had taken with me) and I only jumped into the next seat once. The swimming pool scene was unexpecteded and cleverly done. I do agree with the West End Whingers about the choreography, completely unnecessary and caused a few smirks and raised eyebrows.

I did get very distracted by the noisy audience though – grrrr, even worse than usual. People who know me well will know this is a real bugbear of mine and is worth a whole blog post on it’s own.

Very much on the plus side, It made me realise that my theatre going has got very predictable and I really should experiment more. More things like this and less comparisons between Hairspay and Les Miserables.

And the ceiling is very nice (read more here)

Don’t take my word for it here is what other people said:

PRESS NIGHT FOR THE APOLLO THEATRE WAS MONDAY APRIL 7TH.
Some of these reviews are from the current production and some are from the original production at the Royal Court.

***** (5)
So so Gay – James M 7/4/2014

**** (4)
London Evening Standard – Henry Hitching (from Royal Court production)
The Independant – Paul Taylor (from Royal Court Production)
West End Frame – Michaela Clement-Hayes 7/4/2014
Time Out – Stewart Pringle 8/7/2014

*** (3)
The Guardian – Michael Billington (from Royal Court Production

** (2)
West End Whingers

Others
Last Minute Theatre Tickets
The Telegraph – Charles Spencer 7/4/2014
Official London Theatre – Kate Stanbury 8/4/2014

Love Theatre’s Roundup

LOVE the Guardian’s Vampire quiz, have a go and tell me how you got on.  ooops I only got 2 out of 10 but I did say vampires and horror are not my thing – that is my excuse adn I am sticking to it.

To find our what people are saying on twitter:

Gallery

Please note: this show has now closed.

 

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