Never Let Me Go, UK Tour Review (2024)

The cast of Never Let Me Go. Photo by Hugo Glendinning

Reviewed by Mia for Theatre and Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review

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Imagine a world where terminal illnesses could be cured with ease… it sounds incredible, but what if vital organs were taken from human-like creatures who had been cloned for the purpose?

Never one to shy away from serious topics, Kazuo Ishiguro’s story Never Let Me Go asks readers some difficult ethical questions, as we follow a group of friends from their time at school into adulthood. Armed with very little information about the outside world, they eventually realise what their purpose is, and how their lives will pan out.

For those of us familiar with the book, Suzanne Heathcote’s adaptation - directed by Christopher Haydon - is a faithful and creative interpretation, brought to life on stage. Although a quiet, slow story, the stage version adds a sense of urgency through its fantastic movement (Aysha Tashkiran) and music (composed by Eamonn O’Dwyer), which provide additional impact and pathos to certain scenes. The fluidity between scenes helps the audience to understand where we are in the story and assists the actors with the characters’ age range.

And what characters! Kathy (Nell Barlow), Ruth (Matilda Bailes) and Tommy (Angus Imrie) are all complex and richly drawn, but Barlow and Bailes in particular bring a new interpretation which is mesmerising. They are brilliantly supported by the ensemble cast who take on multiple roles with great success.

Tom Piper's set is fabulous, with high walls providing a lot of light, yet somehow the effect is claustrophobic and invokes a sense of foreboding. There is also a lot of detail in the costumes and props, which really enhances the credibility of the performances and grounds the audience in the time period (albeit a dystopian one).

The first act does feel a little long, and the amount of swearing could be reduced without detracting from the emotional nature of the piece. It is also a little difficult to follow for anyone unfamiliar with the story, and several audience members were very confused in the interval, and none the wiser at the end.

That said, it’s a wonderful adaptation of a powerful, thought-provoking story that will remain with me for a long time.

At Royal & Derngate until 26 October as part of the UK tour which closes at Chichester Festival Theatre on 30 November 2024.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆