By Sarah Becker
For some of us, we knew it was going to end in tears.
For those unfamiliar with the storyline of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, the novel about clones whose sole purpose is to donate their organs until their final “donation” leads to “completion,” the ending was always destined to be tragic.
For the children of Hailsham, an idyllic school, their fate was never fully explained to them.
It was as if they were brainwashed—aware they would eventually become carers to other organ donors, and later donors themselves, but it was all shrouded in misunderstanding.
The first half of the play directed by Christopher Haydon, drew the audience into this strangely idyllic world, where nothing was quite as it seemed and questions were raised but not answered.
A refreshing and unique feature of this adaptation was its clever use of flashbacks.
Kathy, the carer, played by Nell Barlow, narrated the story of Hailsham school, with the younger versions of the characters bursting onto the stage as children, crashing through doors that seamlessly transformed into medical clinics of the 1990s.
The scene changes were a delight to watch, as the set ingeniously doubled up to reflect different timelines, creating a transition between past and present with such vigour, it often made you jump.
Against this dynamic backdrop, the audience was swept into the world of the school children’s childish antics played by a strong cast.
Tommy’s temper tantrums, the friendships, the paintings; this adaptation zipped along driven by a sharp script that posed unanswered questions.
Why did Madame (Emilie Patry) stand in the door way crying as Kathy danced to the music of ‘Never Let me Go?’
Subtle hints of the emotional storm that was brewing beneath the surface were sown throughout the first half.
At the heart of the drama lay a love triangle that later tears at the audience’s emotions.
Tommy, played brilliantly by Angus Imrie, showcased his versatility, balancing vulnerability and frustrated outbursts all while being drawn into a relationship with the more dominant, Ruth played with equal strength by Matilda Bailes.
Nell Barlow delivers a strong performance as Kathy. Despite being on stage throughout the entire play, she skillfully navigates the nuances of often taking a supporting role—whether for the donors or her friends—with subtlety. Her character is frequently praised as “an excellent carer,” and Nell’s thought-provoking portrayal captures this essence beautifully.
Although the first half of the play felt a little on the long side, the second half of the play was well worth the wait.
The emotional intensity rapidly escalated, pulling the audience deeper not only into the fate of the young characters but also into the tragic love triangle between Kathy, Tommy and Ruth.
The actors handled the raw, heart-wrenching material with a sensitivity that resonated deeply, leaving the audience captivated and, by the end, utterly heartbroken.
One might wish for even greater character development beyond serving as instruments of the plot, though the performances from the whole cast were undeniably great.
While the play’s script, scenery and lighting were exceptional, it was in the final scenes – when the set was stripped back, that the audience felt the true emotional impact of the actors’ performances (notably of Matilda Bailes, Nell Barlow and Angus Imrie ) as the play sped to a gut-wrenching conclusion.
A co-production between Royal & Derngate, Rose Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Malvern Theatres, Never Let me Go will continue it’s run at Royal & Derngate until Saturday 26th October. It continues its run from
Tue, 29th October 2024 to Sat, 2nd November 2024 at Malvern Theatres;
Wed, 6th November 2024 to Sat, 23rd November 2024 at the Bristol Old Vic
and from Tue, 26th November 2024 to Sat, 30th November 2024 at Chichester Festival Theatre.