Review: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN at Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Based on the Swedish novel and film by John Ajvide Lindqvist

By: May. 25, 2023
Review: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN at Berkeley Repertory Theatre

There’s a dreamlike quality that permeates Berkeley Rep's production of the popular novel and films of Let The Right One In, fitting for a story involving a romance between a twelve-year old boy and an ageless vampire presenting as a young girl. Once the supernatural revelation is made, a touching coming of age story blossoms, seemingly fantastical, yet ripe with true human sentiment. With stunning staging by British director John Tiffany and movement director Steven Hoggett and breakthrough performances by leads Diego Lucano (Oskar) and Noah Lamanna (Eli), Let The Right One In is a moving perspective on loneliness and belonging.

Review: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN at Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Noah Lamanna (Eli)

The social isolation themes are current to the alarming rise in bullying and the COVID pandemic, so we can empathize with Oskar as he maneuvers his broken family and the assaults by his schoolmates. Both Eli and Osar are naïve in affairs of the heart and Thorne’s sparse dialogue adds to the awkwardness of their meetings. When Eli asks if he would mind if she wasn’t a girl, Oskar thinks about it and says he wouldn’t mind, not fully understanding the ramifications of what she’s intimating.

Review: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN at Berkeley Repertory Theatre
(L-R): Jon Demegillo, Diego Lucano, Michael Johnston, and Jack DiFalco

The horror element of the story involves a series of grisly murders perpetrated by Eli’s protector Hakan (Richard Topol). Eventually Oskar discovers what Eli is and must make a mature decision about their future. The nuanced performances by the pair belie their unlikely coupling which becomes secondary to the simple premise of the search for love and acceptance.

Review: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN at Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Diego Lucano (Oskar) and Noah Lamanna (Eli) 

The staging is spectacular; from the snow-covered birch tree woods (set design by Christine Jones), Hoggett’s theatrically inventive gestural movement vocabulary, lighting by Chahine Yavroyan, special effects by Jeremy Chernick, and sound by Gareth Fry. There’s a scene where Eli’s lonely mother joins him in his bed that is breathtakingly choreographed to show the connection between the pair. The ensemble cast makes the most of Hoggett’s fluid movement adding an emotional subtext to the overall atmosphere. Let The Right One In is an extraordinary production visually and emotionally, and like all great horror stories, humanizes the supernatural as an extension of ourselves.

Let The Right One In continues through June 25th. Tickets can be purchased online at berkeleyrep.org/shows/let-the-right-one-in or by calling (510) 647-2949.

Photo Credit: Kevin Berne



RELATED STORIES - San Francisco / Bay Area

1
AXIS Dance Company To Make Their Latin America Debut This October Photo
AXIS Dance Company To Make Their Latin America Debut This October

AXIS Dance Company is set to make their Latin America debut, bringing their innovative and inclusive approach to dance to new audiences.

2
Matthew Lópezs Hilarious THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE At Center REP, November 4- 2 Photo
Matthew López's Hilarious THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE At Center REP, November 4- 26

Center Repertory Company will present The Legend of Georgia McBride, written by Tony and Olivier Award winner Matthew López (The Inheritance, The Whipping Man, Somewhere, the book of the Broadway musical Some Like it Hot, and Amazon Studios' Red, White & Royal Blue).

3
Single Tickets For San Francisco Ballet 2023–24 Season Programs On Sale Today Photo
Single Tickets For San Francisco Ballet 2023–24 Season Programs On Sale Today

Get your tickets now for the San Francisco Ballet's 2023-24 season programs, including the exciting new shows 'Mere Mortals' and 'Carmen.' Don't miss out on this incredible lineup of performances.

4
Photos: First Look at POTUS at Berkeley Repertory Theatre Photo
Photos: First Look at POTUS at Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Get a first look at brand-new production photos from Selina Fillinger’s gleefully feminist satire, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, performing at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

From This Author - Steve Murray

Steve Murray is a writer for Cabaret Scenes magazine, contributor to ForAllEvents and now BroadwayWorld. He started writing rock reviews for his college newspaper in the 1970’s, produced a varie... (read more about this author)

Videos


#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical
Victoria Theatre (9/08-10/01)Tracker
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Benise - FIESTA!
Palace of Fine Arts Theatre (10/07-10/07)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Shipwrecked! An Entertainment
Cinnabar Theater (4/12-4/28)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Men on Boats
Valley Players (10/13-10/29)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Comedy Open Mic
San Jose Improv (4/13-12/13)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Bay Phil Presents Broadway’s Best
Chabot College Performing Arts Center (10/01-10/01)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# UNDETECTABLE COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY FOR SALE at https://fakebanknotes.org
UNDETECTABLE COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY FOR SALE at https://fakebanknotes.org (4/03-2/28)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Ray of Light presents Cruel Intentions the Musical
The Victoria Theatre (9/08-10/01)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Disney's The Little Mermaid
Sunnyvale Theatre (9/09-10/01)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# The Nutcracker
Center for Performing Arts (12/08-12/10)VIDEOS
VIEW ALL SHOWS  ADD A SHOW  

Recommended For You