a stage production by Jack Thorne based on the Swedish novel and film by John Ajvide Lindquist By arrangement with Marla Rubin Productions Ltd
Directed by Jennifer Sims
Jennifer Sims: jennifersims123@gmail.com , 07867 805766
Based on the novel and film by John Ajvide Lindquist
Adapted for the stage by Jack Thorne
Take the challenge and audition for this enchanting but brutal vampire myth. It’s a wonderful fairy tale, set in Sweden in the 1980s in a snowy world where people walk through forests at night and can be victims of vampires. It is that very powerful story of the bullied teenager and how he meets somebody who gives him the resources to try and fight back. It’s a love story. With fangs.
Based on the book (by John Ajvide Lindqvist) and film (by Tomas Alfredson) of the same name, 'Let the Right One In' is a challenging and fascinating piece of theatre.
Part violent vampire horror, part tender coming-of-age love story, this play is an exceptional examination of loneliness, gender and sexuality, family, and more. This show will involve a lot of blood.
With 18 short scenes the set will need to be a space where everything and anything can happen. A space that reflects the isolation of people within the community, that is beautiful in its coldness and austerity and can quickly turn to horror and violence.
Support will be needed to create the many special effects that are needed in the play. Lighting will be fundamental in changing the atmosphere on stage, in supporting the working of the special effects and in some instances creating them, and in helping focus the audience as different scenes take place in different areas.
Sound design will be important and we will study the score of both the film and the professional production of the play, to develop our own background which will add to the tension and horror.
The play has a cast of 9. 2 of the characters are female and the rest are male. 6 of the actors play single roles and the others play more than one character. The style of the play will rely as much on physicality as on the spoken word, and actors will need to be prepared to experiment physically with character and movement. Those in smaller/multi roles will also be involved in ensemble scenes and these will be physical in style.
With cast and crew I am looking for a team approach from people who are excited to explore how we can create a horror story on the Geoffrey Whitworth stage and to experiment with an unusual form of theatre, that is almost filmic in its approach.
Characters
Eli: Requires a physically adept actor aged 18+
Presents as an eccentric young woman but is in fact a centuries old vampire. She is frozen at the physical age of thirteen, extremely agile and very manipulative.. Can seem somewhat cold and distant, but Eli’s relationship with Oskar exposes a warmer side of Eli’s personality.
Oskar: 13 years old but will be played by an actor aged 18+. Oskar is a bullied, lonely teenage boy , quiet and vulnerable
Jonny: 15 years old to be played by an actor 18+ He enjoys inflicting pain on others, especially Oskar.
Hakan 50s to 60s- Eli's sort-of guardian. He loves Eli very deeply, and will do anything, absolutely anything, for her. He is single minded in this .
Micke: 14 years old to be played by an actor 18+ He is in Jonny’s gang; he takes part in the constant bullying of Oskar, but with less relish than Jonny.
Kurt/Jocke/Nils/Dad/Stefan: 30s to 50s . Kurt is a world-weary sweet shop owner . This is a multi-role part also playing Jocke/Nils/Dad/Stefan. Oskar’s dad is neglectful and has a distant relationship with Oskar. 2 actors could be cast in these roles.
Halmberg/Mr. Avila: 40s/50s Policeman, thoroughly perplexed by the goings-on but trying his best to keep everyone safe and calm. Mr. Avila served as a fighter pilot at some point in his earlier life and later became a Physical Education teacher at a school in Vällingby.
Jimmy/Torkel/Janne: 20s/30s Jimmy is the older brother of Jonny and just as much a bully. .Janne is Oskar’s Dad’s possible lover and Torkel is murdered in the first scene of the play.
Oskar’s Mum : late 30s to early 50s. Drinker, struggling with life, well-meaning, embittered.
Audition pieces
The following scenes will be used as a basis for the auditions. Actors are asked to familiarise themselves with these scenes according to the roles they are interested in. Please be prepared to participate in scenes with others as required.
· Act 1 scene 3 – Kurt, Oskar
Act 1 scene 5 Halmberg
· Act 1 scene 5 Mum, Oskar
· Act 1 scene 8: Oskar, Jonny, Micke
· Act 1 scene 15 Hakan, Eli,
· Act 2 scene 3 Oskar, Eli
· Act 2 scene 6 Oskar, Dad, Janne
· Act 2 scene 16 Oskar, Micke, Jimmy, Jonny, Mr Avila
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