Never Let Me Go - Review

Reviewed by Kathryn
Ticket was gifted in return for an honest review.

Released in 2010 as a film, Never Let Me Go is now live onstage in a production produced by Royal & Derngate, Rose Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Malvern Theatres. Having not seen the film prior to my visit, I went with an open mind not knowing what to expect or having any knowledge of the synopsis. 

Photo by Hugo Glendinning.

The open stage is set with a hospital bed and a curved wooden wall with five sets of ‘hospital’ doors interspersed with cabinet units which, later, turn into other bits of furniture. Very neat, clean and tidy. There is a fine gauze stretched across the natural wooden window frames to give privacy to the hospital room and also create different atmospheres as needed throughout the piece. Immediately the audience have a sense of clinical space but also warm and caring. Credit to Tom Piper for this simple but effective design. 
 
Lighting is masterfully designed by Joshua Carr and is very much part of the story and narrative, leading us in each scene to a new emotion or thought. It’s subtle but powerful at the same time and very effective. Equally, the sound design, by Carolyn Downing, transports us to different locations without fanfare but it works neatly and adds a strong layer to the performance. 
 
The cast are phenomenal. Not only do they deliver the story clearly and naturally but the scene changes are all incredibly slick and happen before you realise we’ve moved location. Beautifully directed by Christopher Haydon and excellently executed by the cast. 

Angus Imrie (Tommy) and Nell Barlow (Kathy). Photo by Hugo Glendinning.

The entire company support and contribute so much throughout the whole piece it is hard to pinpoint any single performer but, for me, the stand out performances were Nell Barlow as Kathy and Angus Imrie as Tommy. It’s clear there is a solid ensemble working here to create this play and credit goes to all nine of them for their impactful performances - not one weak link.  
 
When it comes to the script by Suzanne Heathcote…it is powerful, thought provoking and warranted a very in depth conversation on the way home with my theatre date about how this subject matter could be possible, but actually is it that far off? And that is why this piece hits home so well. It’s set in 1980/90’s England but it could easily be 2024 with society’s current outlook and the ‘wonders of modern science’. I don’t want to give too much away as I think if you know too much about the story, it doesn’t have the same impact whilst you’re watching the performance, but to portray such emotive and deep context in a natural and ‘totally normal’ way is testament to the writing, the delivery, the direction, the design and how this piece has been approached as a whole. 
 
I have already recommended the run to friends as I think it’s a piece that has to be seen and it needs to invite conversation - theatre needs to make you think and evaluate and Never Let Me Go certainly does that in spades. To quote the programme notes “it asks that we question the ethical principles that undergird what we call progress” - if that’s not a sentence to spark debate, I don’t know what is! 
 
There are tough moments in the play but go and see it - storytelling at it’s best. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
 
Never Let Me Go runs at The Royal & Derngate until Saturday 26th October. Tickets are available from https://www.royalandderngate.co.uk/.

The productions is touring and visits Malvern Theatres (Tuesday 29th October - Saturday 2nd November), Bristol Old Vic (Tuesday 5th - Saturday 23rd November) and Chichester Festival Theatre (Tuesday 26th - Saturday 30th November 2024).

Photo by Hugo Glendinning.