Theatre Review: The Ocean At The End Of The Lane

AD: This Press Night Review refers to the 2023 Touring Production of Ocean At The End Of The Lane at the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham*

I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while. A YA novel, adapted into a spectacular stage production, oozing with depth and intensity. With puppets and magic. Perfect for suspending belief and stepping out of reality for a few hours on a Tuesday night. We headed to the theatre at the end of John Bright Street, for The Ocean At The End Of The Lane.

Director Katy Rudd and writer Joel Harwood have adapted Neil Gaiman’s best-selling novel for the stage. Originally launched at the National Theatre, it embarked on a UK tour post-pandemic. The Ocean At The End of the Lane is a mysteriously dark fantasy, filled with childlike wonder which appeals to all ages. It plays with the idea that the past is never too far away, and edges are easily blurred between reality and imagination. Although not autobiographical, Gaiman wrote the story to show his wife who he was as a boy, and the places he used to visit and play.

Returning to his childhood home for a funeral, an unnamed man finds himself staring into the duckpond where he used to play as a child. Where his best friend Lettie claimed that it wasn’t a pond, rather an ocean of possibility and opportunity. After a chance encounter, he is transported back to his younger self, revisiting forgotten memories of how he and Lettie battled dark forces that threatened to destroy them, and everything around them.

Boy (Keir Ogilvy) is a bookworm, using tales of Narnia and Neverland and Wonderland to escape his sad reality. At just 12 years old he has encountered unbearable tragedy. His father is distant since the death of Boy’s mother. He squabbles endlessly with his sister (Laurie Ogden). And as in all good fairy-tales, a wicked stepmother, Ursula (Charlie Brooks) is on the horizon. He finds solace in the home of the eccentric Hempstocks, a maternal cradle of love, kindness and fearlessness. Oh, and magical powers.

We are swept into a nightmare world with Boy and Lettie, where only a pool of light in the centre of the stage is a safe haven from the demons. This world is created from a complicated mix of grief and pain, along with a child’s vivid imagination. Boy and Lettie awaken a malevolent “flea” (Ursula’s alter-ego, also played by Charlie Brooks) living on the edge but desperate to find a way to crossover into reality.

I was left absolutely mesmerised by this production. The end of Act 1 in particular left me breathless with anticipation for what was to come.

Ogilvy is an absolutely enchanting Boy. He builds the tension beautifully as he encounters unimaginable creatures, whilst authentically portraying the struggles he is facing in reality. He’s awkward, funny and likeable. It’s clearly a demanding role, both physically and emotionally. Hikasa steals every scene she’s in as the charismatic Lettie. Together they are captivating. Sometimes older actors playing kids can be a little awkward, but Ogilvy and Hikasa meet the challenge perfectly.

The whole cast though are fantastic, especially Trevor Fox, as the widowed father trying to do his best for his son in the face of his own grief, and a flawless but terrifying Charlie Brooks. Fox actually doubles up as the older version of Boy, yet manages to be clearly identifiable in the two different roles, thanks to an accent change and the subtle addition of glasses. Finty Williams (daughter of Michael Williams and Judi Dench, fact fans!) is a wonderfully eccentric Old Mrs Hempstock. And the skilled ensemble are outstanding to watch as they move beautifully around the stage, whether effortlessly shifting props around the stage or dancing around as demons intent on destruction. This cast deliver on all fronts.

The set design, by Fly Davis, is gloriously eerie, and full of clever tricks. Clever use of lighting (Paule Constable) and sound (Ian Dickinson) immerse the audience in the magic. Unseen creatures skittering across the stage. The flapping wings of raucous “hunger-birds”. Parasitic worms. A disembodied, bloodied hand. All enough to evoke memories of childish nightmares in even the steeliest of grown-ups. Monsters are brought forth from the imagination and clever design of Jamie Harrison, who cast a similar spell over the UK tour of Bedknobs and Broomsticks. At times it is a sensory overload, with loud noises, flashing lights and unnerving blackouts.

In true Neil Gaiman fashion. there’s fantasy, thriller, horror and science-fiction weaved into the show. It’s a coming-of-age tale. It’s about friendship. And it’s about acceptance; accepting that things change and shift all of the time. It may have been written for young adults, but the dark themes and frankly unsettling staging means that it may not be suitable for children.

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane is a tour-de-force of storytelling, from one of the very best writers around. This is a truly epic show, not to be missed.

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane is at the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham until Saturday 27th May 2023. Purchase your tickets here. 2023 tour dates continue until October 2023, the full tour schedule can be found here.

All production photos by Brinkhoff/Mögenburg

*Why is this post marked AD? I was invited to attend Press Night in exchange for an honest review. You can trust that I will always be honest and truthful on A Brummie Home and Abroad, and being an invited guest will not influence my opinion in any way.