REVIEW: Let the Right One In

Even with tech malfunctions, this is an impressive production.

Oct 21, 2023

Shows like LET THE RIGHT ONE IN need a lot of technical precision to effectively tell the story. It’s a play about vampires, so there must be blood. And sound design that chills you to the bone, whether it’s the spooky entrances or snapping of neck bones. Lights that flicker and pop and accentuate the action are a must, too. Perhaps it was too ambitious to add automated set pieces to the mix, as one rogue platform nearly took out the entire set during the second act of tonight’s performance. But I appreciate the loftiness of it all - and the budget.

Four equity actors and a guest director? That’s not cheap. Blood packets that spurt, spill, and spread on demand? Congratulations to Brant Russell and the CCM Acting department on finding the funds for this one. I’m thrilled they did because it’s a solid piece of theatrical entertainment.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is an adaption of a novel and film by the same name, which tells the story of Oskar (Nathan Flesh), a bullied, sensitive, and maybe autistic kid who makes a new friend named Eli. Eli (Lyd Noll) is not exactly what they seem. Neither is “her dad,” played by veteran actor Barry Mulholland. It’s a coming-of-age story, but it’s also a horror tale in which the monsters might actually be the humans, and the heroes might be the vampires.

My friend Anne thinks it might be the best show she’s seen all season. She was especially taken with the performances of Flesh and Noll, who held their own amidst the adult actors (all resident company members of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company). Joining the always engaging Mulholland is Kelly Mengelkoch, who can do more with three words (in this case, “eat it anyway”) than many actors do with entire scripts. Geoffrey Barnes plays a detective trying to solve a series of murders, while the versatile Billy Chace delights as three different but entertaining characters.

Nathan Flesh and Lyd Noll - Photo by Mark Lyons

This beast of a show is directed by Cincy Shakes Producing Artistic Director Brian Isaac Phillips. He keeps the story entirely on the rails, with all its characters and plot points, while allowing the CCM stage magic to share the spotlight. While I take issue with Jack Thorne’s cumbersome script (adaptions are complex, especially when they are also translations), I think this is one of the best productions I’ve seen. It’s definitely one of the most massive undertakings I think you’ll find locally on stage.

The supporting student cast is solid; I was especially drawn to Brandon Cook’s work as “Micke.” Is he a devious bastard or a reluctant bully? You’ll be guessing all the way up to the end. Dash Green (“Torkel” and “Jimmy”) is imposing and frightening, and while he has little stage time, he makes the most of it. Byrce Nevison is despicable, too, as “Johnny.”

Should I feel bad about wishing ill will on high schoolers? Naw, it’s okay.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is an excellent choice for this time of year; I hope it’s a success so we can see more of these types of collaborations in the future. What would the musical theatre department do if they could borrow a Broadway diva or two for a show? I hope we find out.

This production runs through October 28th in the Patricia Corbett Theatre at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Tickets and more information can be found here.

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