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Let The Right One In is a beguiling tale of love and violence, and how the two interact. Based on John Ajvide Lindqvist’s 2004 novel of the same title, Let The Right One In follows a Swedish village haunted by a recent string of murders which have seen their neighbours strewn in the snow-covered forest, drained of blood.

Let The Right One In is worth its ticket price for the production value alone. The performance sees the Abbey stage transformed into a forest, with lofty trees that hold an eerie realism. Music echoes between the branches and brings the viewer on an emotional journey ranging from intrigue to laughter to fear. Even at the most ostensibly light-hearted moments, the tense music which creeps through the fog keeps the viewer on edge and incites a growing sense of certainty that impending disaster is soon to follow. The cast outdo themselves throughout the performance with impressive feats, including a startling opening-sequence which would leave you googling how long a person can feasibly hang upside down for.

The allure of Let The Right One In lies in its subtleties. Although the play engages with supernatural elements, it will ultimately resonate with audiences for its insightful engagement with brutally human issues. The play concerns itself with the question of bullying and the cycle of victimisation attached to it. Violence left unchecked is certain to escalate and manifest in unpredictable ways. The play demonstrates the problematic impact this has on seemingly benign characters; Oskar, the young protagonist, is a victim of incessant bullying, but in turn steals from and torments the owner of the local sweet-shop. The school sports coach quietly supports Oskar in strengthening himself against his bullies while encouraging the tenets of hegemonic masculinity that leads the bullies to exert excessive force in the first place.

Katie Honan bodily captures the essence of her character, Eli, with impressive skill. Her languid movements hold an ethereal quality and she succeeds delivering engaging dialogue whilst navigating Eli’s considerably restrained speech patterns. Craig Connolly encapsulates twelve-year-old Oskar’s complexity. Equal parts naive and insightful, Oskar’s internal conflict is portrayed with precision and depth.

Directed by John Tiffany, this production of Let The Right One In takes a familiar story and reinvigorates it for the Abbey Stage. A haunting but enticing production, this play combines quietly genius acting with an engaging mise en scène and ageless story.

Let The Right One In runs in the Abbey Theatre until January 6, 2018.