'Let the right one in' my well needed theatre evening!

'Let the right one in' at London Apollo theatre

Do you remember what a penpal is? Have you ever had one? I started emailing with the Hungarian girl from the German office and by now as she found a job and has moved to the UK...finally we met in real life!

Of course there was a natural fear in me...what if we don't click...it is so much easier in emails than in real life...but in the end everything was really good! She is the same in real life just like in emails; nice, polite, friendly, funny and witty, intelligent and very easy to talk to and open up!

We found that we both loved Swedish movies, not only talking about the big Stieg Larsson blockbuster. I mentioned the film Let the right one in, based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindquist, which reminded me, that the film has been stage adapted and is played in the Westend at Apollo Theatre (Royal Court)

So yesterday evening I decided to go and watch it!

Let the right one in Swedish Movie X

I have seen the original Swedish movie version some years ago in the telly and although I started it as a movie that I can fall asleep to, I did not...It really fascinated me...the delicate details of social conformity, being an outsider, love and an odd friendship then later a little more between two persona who were excluded from the society for different reasons.

Oskar a 10-11 year old boy who lives with his mother in block of flats in the outskirt of a Swedish town near the woods. His fellow students bully him in all sorts of ways they can, showing their power above him.
Eli is his new neighbour who lives with a man, whom we can first believe that is her father.
In the meantime the number of citizens of the town is shrinking as someone, or something slits their throat collecting all the blood.

Eli and Oskar become friends after lending a Rubik's cube and sharing Morse-codes on their wall, even tough Eli first said outright thet they cannot be friends. Their friendship becomes even more in their own little world, until Eli tells Oskar the real self of her. She reveals she lives on blood although she constantly states she is not a vampire! She is not a girl she is 'Nothing'.

From the conversations and increasing jealousy from the 'dad' of Eli, we realise he is not her 'dad'. But he is not a vampire either. Many times it is said that he is ageing while Eli is not.

Oskar who visits sometimes his dad in the countryside gets rejected by him as well after a drunken night with him. He is now not only rejected by his peers in school but even his father does not want him around.

In the meantime Hakan, Eli's guardian, wanted to kill one of the boys in the changing room in the school, but he is caught by police. Before they captured him, he poured 100% bleach on his face to disfigure it making it difficult to identify or to lead to Eli. Before he dies in hospital he offers his blood to the hungry Eli.

Eli has been followed by Lacke who found out the murders are connected to Eli. When he enters the apartment his suspicion seems proven by the shut blinds and the sleeping Eli in the bathtub. Oskar who wanted to check out Eli and hiding in the flat, pulls out his knife to prevent Eli. Eli is also awaken and kills Lacke. After the incident Eli know she cannot stay any longer in the area.

Oskar the next day is alone at the swimming pool, when the bullying boys appear again with one of them's older and trouble brother. Oskar is threatened, his eyes will be stabbed in the middle if he does not hold his breath for 3 minutes under water. While Jimmy the older brother keeps him underwater, Eli storms in the building and kills all three boys, saving Oskar.

Next, Oskar is on the train with Eli in a box leaving to the middle of nowhere far far away from this town! They both say 'kiss' to each other with Morse signs.

---- The End ----

I still remember it was a great movie!  Leaving some questions behind...They are kids, at least Oskar...his parents will search for him. Will Oskar also become a loving guardian just like Hakan? What is Eli? He is not a girl, but does not seem like to be a boy, she is not a vampire, then what happened to her before?

It is also noticeable that this vampire related movie came out even before all the Twilight saga or True blood or any other modern vampire movies!


The theatre play's scenes are a bit different compared to the movie. The story is still intense.
However for me it was a bit strange listening to it all in Scottish accent. there is nothing wrong with it, it was just a little weird.
Actors were brilliant! The music fitted very well to all and every scene! Scenes were dynamic! But compared to the film, I did not enjoy how Eli was speaking....the voice that came out with a restriction was not understood by me. It was too unnatural for me ear.
Although the story has deep sociological meaning and gives you a rather dark feeling, on the contrary the director for the stage adaptation made it quite funny and the audience was smiling and giggling at many scenes...in my opinion this was a hindrance to fully feel the play.

Let the right one in theatre play. X

Let the right one in theatre play X

Let the right one in theatre play X

Let the right one in theatre play X

I bought the book and will read it, because I really want to know now, what the original story line is and maybe there will be some other hints to find answer to my questions.

X denotes the source for the images. Click on it under each image.

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