Rebecca Benson & Martin Quinn star as the teenage leads in the vampire love story Let The Right One In, adapated from the book and film of the same name, the show is set to open to previews this month.
Book tickets before midnight on Sunday 23rd March for amazing reductions.
See the full list of sale prices here.
Describe Let The Right One In for those unfamiliar with source novel and film :
RB: I would say it was a love story, with the setting of a horror story. At its core it is about two children who find each other despite their loneliness and fall in love. Oh, and one of those kids happens to be a vampire.
MQ: It's about a bullied boy from a broken family finally finding someone he can be comfortable around. Of course when it turns out that this saviour is a vampire, it gets a bit weird.
Have you seen the original works?
RB: I had the pleasure of seeing the original film when it was released in 2008 as a drama student. There was a Swedish boy in our class who was a big film-buff and was very excited about the film, so we had a class outing to see it all together. He was right; it was astounding. Surprisingly for me, I haven’t found it helpful to refer to the film when working on our own adaption- I like to keep our own work separate- but I have a massive respect for it. It’s a fantastic piece of cinema.
MQ: I watched both the films and read the book but I didn't want to focus on them too much. It's Jack {Thorne}'s adaptation and so the characters are different.
What can staging the story offer that the film can’t?
RB: Immediacy. It’s a visceral experience for the audience as everything is happening in front of them. It can be alarming for some people, especially as the blood begins to run.
MQ: I think the medium of live theatre heightens the audience, from tension to genuine empathy for the characters. Also, for people that are fans of the book or film it's always interesting to see what parts of the original story are used and how it is then used on the stage, for example, the swimming pool scene.
What separates Let The Right One In from other horror?
MQ: I think that if vampires were real then Let The Right One In is the most realistic vampire story I can think of.
What continues to appeal about Vampire fiction?
MQ: For the cooler and more profound vampire fiction fans it's probably something to do with the immortality of vampires, meaning that they constantly have to adapt to the times and obviously their love life is going to be very complicated indeed.
Favourite horror films?
RB: I’m actually a big scaredy-cat, but when I’m in the mood I’m quite partial to zombie films. I prefer horror with a comedy edge, I love Zombieland and Shaun of The Dead. I also love Carrie (1979), 28 Days Later, The Shining and Let The Right One In remains one of my favourite films in any genre.
MQ: Ahhh, I'm not so good with scary films, I'm terrible at sleeping as it is.
Do you listen to music to prepare for performance?
MQ: I tend to differ between a couple of tracks on [Radiohead’s] In Rainbows. Just the one before every show. Nothing to do with the play but more to deal with nerves.
Is this your first West End role?
MQ: Yeah, I try to forget about the fact it's on the West End and instead just focus on telling the story to the people that turn up on the night.
If you were immortal and could go to any festival, dream headliner?
RB: I’m a big Buddy Holly fan, and I would have loved to see him live. Also Jimi Hendrix. Maybe they could both headline, I’d be very happy with that.
MQ: Jimi Hendrix's set at Woodstock which hardly anyone turned up to. Give the wee man some support.
Buy Let The Right One In Tickets
“The gasp, so rarely heard in the theatre, rings out often here. First-rate… situated on the slipway between dream and daily life… a mesmerising evening.’ Observer
***** “Exquisitely realised” The Herald
**** “Polished and poetic” The Guardian
**** “Ambitious and beautifully shaped” The Scotsman