‘Never let me go’ is a science fiction theatrical production adapted from the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro released in 2005. The story is about a girl who grew up in a similar world to our own, and is looking back over her life, rediscovering her past and revealing more about the world gradually and why people seem to think she is different.  

This theatre adaptation (a Rose Original piece that was developed in collaboration with Bristol Old Vic, and others), manages to capture both the horror and beauty of Ishiguro’s dystopian world. The script skillfully builds up the world of the play so that the audience can understand the details of the characters' lives. The actors performed amazingly; particularly the actress playing Ruth, Matilda Bailes, who embodied the character through her years and experiences. There was a lot of multi-rolling, but the actors managed to change their characters enough that it did not feel like it was the same person, just in another outfit. The stage was dressed so they could use set pieces multiple times for several reasons; they were very clever with how simple they kept the set. 

I have seen this performance twice. The whole play was very emotional, my favourite part was the last scene which tied up the story perfectly, it was this section that made me tear up. Both times I was shocked by both the excellent world building and the character development throughout. I don't think there was a single section where I wasn't intrigued.

Overall, I enjoyed the play a lot and even though I have seen it twice, I would happily see it again. While I saw it at the Rose Theatre, the play will soon go touring around England. This play was spectacular and I would highly recommend going to see it.

 

Beatrice Macdonald-Hardman