Let the Right One In E-Book

John Ajvide Lindqvist

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Serie: NHB Modern Plays
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 72

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

A dark and visceral coming-of-age vampire love story, based on the acclaimed novel and film. Oskar is a bullied, lonely, teenage boy living with his mother on a housing estate at the edge of town, when a spate of sinister killings rocks the neighbourhood. Eli is the young girl who has just moved in next door. She doesn't go to school and never leaves the flat by day. Sensing in each other a kindred spirit, the two become devoted friends. What Oskar doesn't know is that Eli has been a teenager for a very long time… Jack Thorne's adaptation of Let The Right OneIn, based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, premiered in June 2013 at the Dundee Rep Theatre in a production by the National Theatre of Scotland, before transferring to London's Royal Court Theatre in November 2013. It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre in 2014.

Leseprobe

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

By

John Ajvide Lindqvist

Adapted for the stage by

Jack Thorne

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Title Page

Original Production

Characters

Let the Right One In

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Let the Right One In was first performed in this revival at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, London, on 29 November 2013. The cast was as follows:

ELI

Rebecca Benson

JONNY

Graeme Dalling

KURT/JOCKE/NILS/DAD/ STEFAN

Paul Thomas Hickey

HALMBERG/MR AVILA

Stephen McCole

TORKEL/JANNE/JIMMY

Angus Miller

MICKE

Cristian Ortega

OSKAR

Martin Quinn

HAKAN

Ewan Stewart

OSKAR’S MUM

Susan Vidler

Director

John Tiffany

Associate Director

Steven Hoggett

Music

Ólafur Arnalds

Set and Costume Designer

Christine Jones

Lighting Designer

Chahine Yavroyan

Sound Designer

Gareth Fry

Let the Right One In was commissioned by the National Theatre of Scotland and Marla Rubin Productions Ltd and first produced by the National Theatre of Scotland by arrangement with Marla Rubin Productions Ltd and Bill Kenwright, in association with Dundee Rep Theatre, at Dundee Rep Theatre on Wednesday 5 June 2013.

Characters

OSKAR

JONNY

MICKE

HAKAN

TORKEL

KURT

MUM

ELI

HALMBERG

JOCKE

MR AVILA

NILS

DAD

JANNE

JIMMY

STEFAN

This ebook was created before the end of rehearsals and so may differ slightly from the play as performed.

ACT ONE

Scene One

A man walks through the woods along a distinct path. He is TORKEL. He’s drunk but concentrating very hard on seeming sober.

HAKAN emerges from the woodland in the opposite direction. He stands looking at the man. HAKAN is wearing a rucksack and in his hands he carries a gas cylinder. He thinks and then withdraws from the light again.

As TORKEL walks past so HAKAN steps out in front of him. TORKEL looks at HAKAN, who looks back with a steady intensity.

TORKEL. Hiya… can I help…

HAKAN says nothing.

Do you want something?

HAKAN. The time.

TORKEL. Sure thing. The time is…

He checks his watch. HAKAN grabs the back of his head, twists him and holds a gas mask to his face. TORKEL’s legs buckle beneath him. He slumps, unconscious.

And then HAKAN takes his rucksack off and begins tying TORKEL’s legs.

Scene Two

A boy, OSKAR, runs into a locker room. He is in a PE vest, shorts and some daps. He opens his locker, grabs his school uniform inside and tries to get clothed as quickly as possible.

JONNY. Pig-gy?

OSKAR’s face crinkles. His feet move up and down slightly. He’s scared.

MICKE. Hey, Piggy, are you in there?

There is a pause.

Piggy, we know you’re in there…

OSKAR looks around for means of escape – there are none – he opens the locker again. He climbs inside.

Suddenly two dark figures crawl over the top of the lockers and look down on OSKAR. They are MICKE and JONNY. If not older than OSKAR, then certainly bigger and stronger.

JONNY. Little Pig, if you don’t come out now, we have to get you out of school? Is that what you want… Is that what you want, Little Pig?

MICKE. Don’t make us hunt you, Little Pig…

JONNY. Don’t make us blood you…

They jump down.

MICKE. Pig-gy…

They open one locker.

JONNY. Pig-gy…

They open another locker.

BOTH. Pig-gy…

They open OSKAR’s locker.

JONNY. Squeal like a pig, bitch.

MICKE. Squeal like a pig, bitch.

OSKAR squeals like a pig.

The three boys wait and listen. Listen for if anyone’s coming.

JONNY. No one’s coming, bitch. Get ready to be baptised, bitch.

The two boys make to pull OSKAR out, and the light goes out.

Scene Three

We’re in a sweet shop. Bright, colourful, strip-lit, and with strange piped-in music.

OSKAR stands looking at row upon row of sweets. He is in school uniform but his collar and jacket have been ruffled up.

He has a look on his face of quiet contemplation. He picks up a chocolate bar, kneels to do up his shoelaces and slips it into his sock. He then stands and looks back into the sweets.

KURT. Are you buying or are you just looking?

OSKAR turns, surprised to be being watched. KURT is in his mid-thirties and distrustful of children.

OSKAR. I’m choosing.

KURT. It’s a bit late to be eating sweets.

OSKAR. Not so late.

KURT walks past him. OSKAR slips a packet of fruit gums into his pants.

I won’t be long.

KURT looks at OSKAR carefully.

KURT. Is that blood on your shirt?

OSKAR. No.

KURT. Yes, it is, it’s blood.

OSKAR. Maybe.

KURT looks at OSKAR carefully again.

KURT. Did someone do that to you?

OSKAR. No.

KURT. Did other boys do that to you?

OSKAR. No.

KURT. Are you okay?

OSKAR. Yes.

OSKAR slips a packet of cola drops into his shirt.

I’ve decided.

He takes a lollipop up to the counter.

KURT. This all you’re having?

OSKAR. Yes. Sorry.

He takes some change from his pocket, he carefully counts it out.

I like your lollies, they’re tasty.

He nods at KURT and makes to leave.

KURT. Kid…

OSKAR turns, scared he’s been rumbled.

OSKAR. Yes?

KURT throws him a chocolate bar.

KURT. Be safe, kid.

OSKAR. Okay. I will be.

OSKAR leaves, with a smile on his face.

Scene Four

HAKAN attaches the rope to the man’s ankles, tying them extremely carefully. He then removes the mask from around the man’s face and, using the branch as a pulley mechanism, pulls the man up so that he’s hanging from the branch.

He then unpacks from his bag a plastic groundsheet, a container, a funnel and a knife. He begins to fastidiously spread out the plastic sheeting.

TORKEL. I don’t…

HAKAN pays no attention to him. He gets the jug and arranges it underneath the man.

Where is – what is – this?

HAKAN pays no attention. He puts the funnel into the jug. The man realises where he is.

No… No… Don’t do this. Please. Please. I have a baby.

HAKAN pays no attention. The man starts to make strange noises. Noises of pure fear. He’s not crying, he’s not screaming, it’s something far worse.

HAKAN. Forgive me.

HAKAN cuts TORKEL’s throat. A gush of blood falls into the jug.

And then suddenly torches blare through the woodland and the sound of lads playing.

HAKAN looks around – they’re coming straight for him – thoroughly panicked. He makes to run.

He returns. He picks up the jug, the knife and the funnel. He drops the jug. He curses. He picks it up again. He runs off.

Scene Five

POLICE COMMISSIONER HALMBERG. The incident took place in the woods.

I cannot give you the name of the man killed, I can tell you we do believe it a murder.

It is the second such episode to occur within the past week. We have been unable to make close examination but it does look as if the cases may be linked.

I therefore ask all my fellow citizens to keep their vigilance and urge them to stay away from the woods at night unless absolutely necessary.

We will catch this killer but until we do you must stay safe.

Anyone with any information they feel could be useful – anything they saw or heard – the slightest thing – should dial the incident room, the number is on the screen.

No questions.

OSKAR sits eating dinner with his MUM on a sofa. A sallow-faced, overwhelmed-looking woman. OSKAR is picking at a TV chicken dinner in a foil tray. His MUM is just drinking from a large glass of wine. The clock ticks loudly in the background.

MUM. Not hungry?

OSKAR. Not really.

MUM. Filled up on sweets I imagine.

OSKAR. No.

MUM. You are not to go out to the woods, do you hear?

OSKAR. I don’t go in the woods.

MUM. You’re to stay close until they’ve caught him.

OSKAR. You don’t want me to go to school?

MUM. Don’t cheek me, Oskar. Of course you go to school. But then you come back here and stay on the estate. Until they’ve caught him.

OSKAR. What if they never catch him?

MUM. Do you want to be murdered? Is that it? Do you want to be butchered? Do you want me to sit here and have my door knocked on by a sad-looking fat policeman. Nothing can happen to you. If it does, I’d die too.

OSKAR picks up his knife and puts it in his pocket.

OSKAR. Okay. I’m going out.

MUM. Did you not listen to a word I said?

OSKAR. Just out into the courtyard.

MUM. I don’t want you to go out into the courtyard.

OSKAR. Just for a little while.

His MUM thinks.

MUM. And nowhere else, do you hear?

OSKAR nods.

And don’t forget your hat. It is cold. I don’t want you getting a cold.

OSKAR. I won’t, Mum.

Scene Six

And suddenly everything is gone…

And we’re left with OSKAR