Let Me In
DSE Productions & Theatre Planners
Reviewed by Taylor Kass
Through April 2
One should never be late to a wedding or a funeral. And one especially shouldn’t be late to a wedding that has turned into a funeral after the tragic death of the bride-to-be. But on the day of the service, the former groom Bobby Hawk (Bryan McKinley) is nowhere to be found, leaving the deceased bride’s best friend Red Casey (Rachael Meyers) to bust down his apartment door with the help of nearly-retired NYPD officer Hamilton Steele III (Jorge Garcia). Over the nearly two hours that Red spends coaxing Bobby out of his depression and off to the funeral, they confront their grief and their own complicated relationship. In her dark comedy Let Me In, playwright, director, and former soap star Brynn Thayer wrestles with how to go on living after loss.
If there’s anyone who can get grieving almost-widower Bobby back on his feet after his fiancé’s tragic death in a car accident, it’s wisecracking sideline reporter Red Casey. As Red, Rachael Meyers is unnervingly composed as she plies the semi-catatonic Bobby with alcohol and jokes. But underneath Red’s tough and unruffled exterior is a deep pain of her own. Together, Red and Bobby disclose earth-shattering secrets that paint a clearer picture of their loved one’s life and the events that led to her death. With pizza, beer, and wise advice in tow, Officer Hamilton Steele III may seem like a purely comedic interruption, but Garcia adds heart to humor to create a subtly devastating performance.
At times, Let Me In suffers from awkward comedic timing and slow pacing, making both the moments of madcap comedy and moments of tense silence feel less impactful. Additionally, long sequences that involve actors communicating with an Alexa device seem gimmicky and distract from the intriguing human dynamics unfolding between the characters. The play’s several unbelievably tragic twists are undoubtedly influenced by Thayer’s soap opera background but ultimately tip the plot into melodramatic territory. Rather than relying on shock value, Let Me In is at its best when it explores the messy and all-too-human nuances of grief.
Theatre 68 Arts Complex, 5112 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 2 pm & 7 pm; through Apr. 2. www.theatre68artscomplex.com. Running time: 1 hour and 50 minutes with no intermission.
