Rhian Blundell & Pete MacHale in LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. Photo Credit: Johan Persson
Appealing to both horror connoisseurs and the fainter of heart, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is a love story with enough ‘bite’ to keep you on the edge of your seat.
International cult classic, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, makes its Manchester stage debut at the Royal Exchange Theatre this Halloween. The pre-show information advises that the show is meant to be “frightening, make the audience jump, disrupt senses and be quite graphic” – and in those aspects, it certainly delivers. However, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is also a love story… of sorts.
Set in the suburbs of cold, snowy Sweden, our protagonist, Oskar (Pete MacHale), gives us a flavour of his everyday life: bullies, in the form of Jonny (Stefan Race) and Micke (Anthony Aje). Unfortunately for Oskar, things don’t brighten up much until he meets the mysterious Eli (Rhian Blundell). Despite her unusual odour and startling ignorance of the sub-zero temperatures, a friendship begins to blossom. But things aren’t all they seem.
Rhian Blundell in LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. Photo Credit: Johan Persson
If you’re hoping to be eased into the forewarned horror and gore, you will be sorely disappointed. Within minutes of the show, the audience is given a taste of what’s to come – with the reason for the theatre’s ‘splash warning’ becoming quickly apparent. It is a shocking but brilliantly done moment, setting the scene nicely and allowing a level of threat to bubble along under the main story.
At several points, you can allow yourself to settle in and enjoy the lighter and gentler scenes, but there is always a feeling that this would be unwise. The undercurrent of danger runs throughout and is nicely supported by the soundtrack: from a pedal building in the background of the intense scenes to a gentle but haunting piano melody to highlight the affection between Oskar and Eli. There’s even an 80s-style synth to remind you of the time period. The soundscape is always there – except when it’s not, laying the platform for a really uncomfortable finale.
As mentioned, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is a love story. That said, the horror elements are nicely done throughout and even when they are as clearly signposted as a few of them are, it doesn’t make the jump scares any less effective. If anything, these elements are scarce enough to let your guard down, only to jump out of your seat just minutes later. Sound and lighting are used to good effect, quite rightly disrupting the senses as we had been warned. The cold, white lighting adds to the Scandinavian feel, whilst the recurring use of red highlights the blood and danger. These effects allow the actors to focus on their performance.
Rhian Blundell & Pete MacHale in LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. Photo Credit: Johan Persson
One of the show’s key themes is the struggle of being different. You are left feeling a real sense of pathos for Oskar, which is credited to MacHale’s performance: his characterisation is brilliant, and at no point do you doubt that he is a child or that he is desperate to fit in. You can see his discomfort throughout, from his fidgety actions to his avoidance of eye contact. That is, of course, until Eli comes into the picture.
Blundell’s initial coldness towards him alters slowly, her barriers breaking down gradually until we see a genuine fondness. This means that the moments of horror are nicely juxtaposed by the moments of real tenderness as their relationship grows. The audience longs for Oskar to find some semblance of happiness, and he does – just not how he might have thought.
There are great performances throughout the cast, with special mention going to Darren Kuppan for both his multi-role but, more specifically, the endearing Mr Avila and Stefan Race for truly making you despise a character. We are given reasons for Jonny’s nastiness which allows for a level of understanding but doesn’t make his actions any more palatable, and Race’s is an excellent depiction.
The show is a perfectly timed Halloween treat and one for both horror connoisseurs and the fainter of heart: it is scary without being overwhelming, yet heart-warming too. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN certainly has enough ‘bite’ to keep you on the edge of your seat.
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN runs at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, until 19 November 2022.
Michael is a working actor. He studied Drama at Edge Hill University and his main passions are music, sport and acting. Alongside acting, Michael DJs around Manchester and, if not there, is usually found watching football or cricket!
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