steven hoggett – That Girl Allison

I’d heard mixed things about Let the Right One In at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn. This was brought over from Scotland and I’m always intrigued to see a film-to-stage adaptation that’s based on a horror movie. I’d seen neither the original Swedish film or the recent remake, but I really wanted to see this. It was on my short list of “Things To See This Season,” so Kristen and I ventured to Dumbo, Brooklyn on Friday night to rush. Rush was easy to get and cheap ($20!). We got coffee from Brooklyn Roasting Company next door and drinks at 68 Jay Street after.

Let the Right One In was about a young boy who’s often bullied who’s life changes when he meets the new girl who moves in next door with, presumably, her father.

Spoiler alert: She’s a vampire. But they fall in love. Her father, who turns out to be a man who’s in love with her (because she is, obviously, much older than she looks) and when he starts acting out when he realizes he might lose her, he ends up dead.

The story is OK. It’s a very subtly frightening. it’s more eerie than anything else. There’s one cool special effect and one moment towards the end of the second act that made both Kristen and I jump out of our seats. It gets LOUD.

The real star of this show is the staging. The staging (along with the set by Christine Jones) is stunning. The trees onstage (pictured above) are real trees too! The lighting (by Chahine Yavroyan) was perfect and beautiful too. I’ve talked about how I love Steven Hoggett’s movement and it was mesmerizing in this production too.

Rebecca Benson (Eli) and Cristian Ortega (Oskar) are unbelievably talented and carried the show effortlessly.

Let the Right One In plays through March 8th. Check it out.

I remember at my last job we all thought this was the almost-guaranteed-shoe-in-for-Best-Musical. It apparently had book issues in it’s out of town try out in Chicago but supposedly it’d been fixed.

I managed to score comps in November and after a speedy trip to the Edison for dinner, Kristen and I settled in at the Neil Simon. We sat in the mezzanine for the first act and it was half empty. We moved down to seats on the side in front row at intermission.

I liked The Last Ship a lot. The score was fantastic – unlike Bono, Sting can write great music for the stage. But the book still had massive issues. It didn’t resonate with me why it was such a big deal to stick it to the man and build one last ship. I suppose that because of that, I couldn’t really empathize with the characters and get involved in the show.

I loved the set though, and the lighting. And Michael Esper? Of course. He was fantastic. As per usual. Also amazing was Collin Kelly-Sordelet as Michael Esper’s teenaged son. He was jaw-droppingly amazing as he should be since he attends Juilliard. Fred Applegate, Rachel Tucker, and Aaron Lazar (who I haven’t seen in anything since 2006!) were also fantastic.

I also really loved the choreography and the “movement” provided by the lovely Steven Hoggett. We guessed before looking in the Playbill at intermission that it was Hoggett – his style of movement is SO distinct.

So, who’s up for Best Musical now? Finding Neverland? Fun Home? Waitress has been delayed as far as I know. We shall see.

Bon Voyage to The Last Ship; Sting Musical Sets Closing Date on Broadway