Let The Right One In – Royal Exchange

Is there anything better than settling in to watch a horror film around Halloween time? Well, how about heading to the theatre to see a spine-tingling horror right in front of your eyes… even better right?

The Royal Exchange have done it again, bringing to life a stage adaptation of a novel with great flair, vibrancy and talent. The horror fans out there might recognise the title: Let The Right One In from the Swedish novel and film by John Ajvide Lindqvist, a vampire horror/romantic tale with blood, guts, gore and heart. What more could you want?

Oskar is a shy boy, suffering due to the reign of terror from school bully’s Jonny and Micke. He meets Eli, a mysterious girl who just moved in next door. Oskar is taken by her enigmatic presence; they quickly become friends and begin to fall in love.

Oskar is besotted with Eli, much like the ‘father-like’ figure Hakan, who has become old and weary in his time with the never-aging Eli. Oskar’s arrival proves threatening to Hakan, but will Eli and Oskar’s blossoming love stand the menace of bullies, murderers and time?

This isn’t your typical horror. It also isn’t your typical love story. It’s a fusion of both, and both it does so fantastically.

The audience is immediately thrust into the violence, and throughout there’s impeccable use of makeup and effects. The theatre’s blood splash zone warning is vital if you’re sitting on the banquette seats – let’s just say there’s lots of floor cleaning that happens throughout.

But it’s not just the gory nature that puts this production into the ‘horror’ category. The lighting by Joshua Pharo and sound design by Pete Malkin, is atmospheric and crucial to building the tension and unease in climatic moments. Stark bright white flashes combined with an eerie drone and shrill cries attach the senses, putting the audience on the edge of their seats. The whole production has this air of a classic horror combined with the 80’s vibe that is so on trend right now, exposing subtleties of ‘Stranger Things’ in ways that can’t quite be explained.

There’s such a pleasant and endearing juxtaposition within this story: one minute the audience is laughing and smiling at the innocence of the young characters, next they’re ooh and ahh’ing at the brutal violence and jumping from their seats at moments of surprise.

One scene that is truly unforgettable (without giving too much away) is the swimming pool scene. As the story reaches its climax as does the impressive lighting, stage design and brutality. The audience need not imagine the scene, they’re driven directly there as the on-floor lighting blocks out the pool rim, the delicate water noises echoing through the auditorium.  

The cast is phenomenal and use the trickery well, always hiding what should be concealed, making the audience accept the blood splashing carnage as reality. Credit, in particular, must always be given to an actor that makes you hate him; Stefan Race is brilliant as Jonny, his evil habits carefully presented without becoming overwhelming and garish, to then flip entirely and allow the audience to still feel a sense of sorrow and understanding for him when introduced to his older brother Jimmy.

Rhian Blundell and Pete MacHale work perfectly in partnership as Eli and Oskar. Blundells prudish demeanour in comparison to MacHale’s childish innocence and playfulness fills the stage with joy each time their love protrudes.

You may have seen other horrors on stage in the past, but there truly is no better setting than The Royal Exchange’s famous round and intimate stage for this genre. There’s nowhere for the actors to hide behind a mask of smoke or trickery, the audience see (and sometimes feel) each brutal moment up close and personal, making the horror even more impressive and gripping.

Let The Right One In is something audiences can truly sink their teeth into (pun intended), a masterpiece for horror lovers and romantics alike. The Royal Exchange’s Let The Right One In is the finest display of horror on the stage, just in time for Halloween. Expect to laugh, jump and squirm at this disturbing tale of young love. 

Let The Right One In is playing at the Royal Exchange theatre until 19th November, tickets are available from: https://www.royalexchange.co.uk/whats-on-and-tickets/let-the-right-one-in-2022  

Reviewer: Alison Baines

Reviewed: 27th October 2022

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★