Review: Let The Right One In (Underbelly Boulevard)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

This year, National Youth Theatre are celebrating their 70th anniversary season, and what better way to celebrate than by exploring the idea of living forever - a fitting comparison for their significant milestone. Their Love Bites season continues with a production of Dracula later this year, but first, it's time to visit a production by one of their own alumni, Jack Thorne, in a return to the London stage for Let The Right One In. Would this dark coming-of-age vampire thriller be full of bite, or would it simply suck?

First seen as a novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, Let The Right One In has seen multiple adaptations in the years since, with Swedish and English film adaptations, a TV series, and this stage adaptation by Jack Thorne, making its debut in 2013. The play centres around a lonely teenage boy named Oskar who is being horrifically bullied at school. Living with his mother on a housing estate on the edge of town, his loneliness has the possibility of coming to an end when he meets Eli, the young girl who has just moved in next door. There is an air of mystery about her, however, and could a series of sinister killings rocking the neighbourhood be merely a coincidence, or is there a hidden truth about how long she has been a teenager?

I had missed Let The Right One In the previous times it had graced the stage in London, but was familiar with the story from seeing the original Swedish language movie in the cinema when it was first released. Lindqvist’s original writing weaves together several conflicting themes and genres, making for a dark and brooding tale that acts as a vampire thriller with a touch of horror, while fundamentally acting as a coming-of-age story. Jack Thorne’s adaptation finds creative ways to translate the story for the stage, staying true to the darkness and mystery of the original, while being unafraid to introduce new elements into the mix.

While Jack Thorne is known for his work across stage and screen, you would have found it hard to escape his name in the last year as he was one of the men responsible for the critically acclaimed and multi-award winning Adolescence. Before he was the accomplished writer he is today, Thorne was an NYT alumnus, with his earlier work A Bedroom performed 22 years ago as he was starting his professional storytelling journey. It feels fitting to be celebrating the 70th anniversary of National Youth Theatre with one of Thorne’s works, with this production of Let The Right One In acting as a testament to both Thorne’s immeasurable skill as a writer and the high standard and impressive nature of a National Youth Theatre production.

Impressive is certainly the word here. My previous visits to the intimate Underbelly Boulevard in Soho have focused largely on cabaret performances or musicals with a small cast. It may not be the most obvious of choices for a cast of twenty, but this production hasn’t just made it work; they did so with an abundance of creativity. Reconfiguring the space to an in-the-round setting, several rows of seats surround a claustrophobic and fittingly cold stage resembling an outdoor part of the housing estate Oskar lives in in Sweden (fantastically designed by Jonathan Fensom). What transpired on that stage over the following two hours is nothing short of miraculous.

Much of that is down to the bold and inspired direction of James Dacre. Unfazed by any perceived limitations, Dacre makes some big choices, utilising every possible space in the theatre, with cast members appearing in the balcony, and multiple blackouts leading to some quick and stylish transitions. Dacre knows exactly what tone he is going for with this production, tapping into the darkness of it while keeping the heart of the relationship between Oskar and Eli. It is a deeply affecting production, expertly handled and faultlessly realised. The attention to detail proved especially impressive, with one victim of the killings collapsing in front of my seat to reveal meticulous details that only a handful of audience members would spot and demonstrating the level that has gone into every beat of this production. 

Matt Haskins’ lighting taps into the eerie effect, ensuring precise timing for every quick blackout, giving cast members mere seconds to get to their next position for maximum impact. Dan Balfour’s sound design and composition is similarly atmospheric, immersing the audience into this strange and scary world and working beautifully with both Lindqvist and Thorne’s writing. The precise nature of the transitions needed is aided by Arielle Smith’s expert movement direction, using some creative choices to make the piece feel far bigger than the rather small stage that Let The Right One In takes place on. There are also a handful of impressive illusions and effects throughout, showcasing the strong production value felt throughout.

It is fair to say the creative elements all impressed, but so too did the cast. Nicky Dune leads them impeccably as Oskar, offering an understated performance that taps into the loneliness of his character. Wonderfully awkward in places, there is an air of tragedy surrounding him, mixed with the romance when he meets Eli. Speaking of, Rachael Dowsett delivers a captivating turn as Eli, ensuring the dark and mysterious nature of the character is played with the right amount of intrigue. Most impressive about Dowsett’s performance is her physicality, with some incredibly demanding moments handled perfectly.

The cast all impressed in their own right, with Michelle Asante and Colin Tierney joining the NYT Rep company as Mum and Hakan, respectively. It is the talent of the predominantly young cast members that showcases what National Youth Theatre can do, highlighting the fantastic performers who are sure to become fixtures on stages all over the UK in years to come, as well as the level of skill and detail any National Youth Theatre production has to go toe to toe with its West End neighbours when it comes to quality.

If any production ever demonstrated the importance and significance of youth companies, Let The Right One In did that and more. The lesson I learned from watching this production is that anything that carries the words “National Youth Theatre” on it can now be seen as an assurance of quality, as this was outstandingly impressive. Creative and stylish, this production didn’t just act as a reminder of what this vital company does, but also a reminder of how good theatre can be in all shapes and sizes. This may not have been the most obvious of venues for a story such as this one, but I’m unsure I could see it anywhere else now. If this is the level National Youth Theatre have achieved after 70 years, I can only imagine what the next 70 years can hold. Though I won’t be around to see it unless I become a vampire myself (stranger things have happened), it feels far more certain that this brilliant company will easily go on forever.

Let The Right One In plays at Underbelly Boulevard until 23rd May. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/let-the-right-one-in-underbelly-tickets

Find out more about National Youth Theatre at https://www.nyt.org.uk/

Photos by Johan Persson