OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE - REVIEW

Completely blown away by this show, I’d give it ten stars if I could.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane, previously on at the National Theatre, currently on at New Wimbledon, and scheduled to tour across the UK, is a stage adaptation of the book by Neil Gaiman. Chances are, you’ve read at least one of his books, which are known for having magical realism. The creative list is extensive with some serious theatre under their belts, the likes of whom have worked on similarly impressive productions known for special effects, movement choreography, and puppetry (including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and Life of Pi). Jamie Harrison’s magic and illusions direction and design is simply amazing. Every single move in this play is calculated, due to the wonderful movement director Steven Hoggett. Every set change is choreographed, keeping the scene changes fluid. I loved the interaction between the actors and ensemble; it made even the most mundane thing of taking a table away magical. I am in awe of what they have accomplished – the enchanted set, the massive puppetry, the cannot-figure-out-for-the-life-of-me effects (How did they do the Ursula door scene?!). They are the real stars, the real magic-makers.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane begins with Boy (Keir Ogilvy) witnessing an unsettling suicide, then meeting Lettie (Millie Hikasa) who whisks him away to her farm where she lives with her mother, Gennie (Kemi-Bo Jacobs) and grandmother, Old Mrs Hempstock (Finty Williams). These group of women take him in, giving him food, shelter, comfort, and a cup of tea (which is a basic human right!) and off the story goes, with all the adventure, danger, thrill, and excitement you could want. The show is pure escapism; it almost felt immersive. The story’s set up is masterful in the way the audience is introduced to the Hempstocks’ magical world, its rules, and its creatures alongside Boy; we are in for a wild, extraordinary ride.

While all of the actors are incredible and energetic, never showing an ounce of exhaustion in a physically demanding play, a couple of them stood out to me. Williams as Old Mrs Hempstock immediately emanates wisdom, strength, and comfort. A Dumbledore/Gandolf-esque character, you’d trust her with your life and know when she is around, everything will be okay. Hikasa as Lettie radiates goodness; she charming and delightful with a heart of gold and the purest of intentions. I particularly enjoyed her endearing interactions with Ogilvy (Boy) as someone who doesn’t spend much time with people outside her magical farm. Giving the most bewitching performance is Charlie Brooks as Ursula/Skarthach. Her homemaker persona deliciously chips away to reveal her inner chillingly evil self. She is astoundingly perfect.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is one of those brilliant YA books that you revisit as an adult – noticing all the complexities, themes, lessons, and symbols – and realize why it was so special when you were younger. In this production full of time snippets, fleas, worm holes, and oceans in buckets, the most extraordinary thing about it is its emotion. The story reminds us that the real difference between the mundane world and the magical one is how we choose to remember, and to embrace our imagination.

The emotional highs and lows – the beautiful, blooming friendship between Boy and Lettie and the struggling, heart-wrenching relationship between Boy and Father – on top of the intense, heart-racing scenes, on top of the wonder of the special effects left me exhausted (in a good way!) by the end of the show. This is a truly special piece; even people who don’t like theatre would love this show. The Ocean at the End of the Lane has everything you could ask for in a production and carries it all out superbly.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is on at New Wimbledon Theatre until the 15th of April then tours across the UK and Ireland.

{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}

A PISSEDMAS CAROL – REVIEW – LEICESTER SQUARE
by Amy Rye
The infamous Sh!t Faced Showtime are back in London with a festive edition, they have taken Dickens’ classic and put a drunken spin on it. The formula is the same as other iterations of the Shi!t Faced shows, one member of the cast has been boozing, and this time it is John Milton who plays Scrooge. Before the show, half a bottle of Jim Beam, some wine, and beer have been consumed in the previous 4 hours. The rest of the cast, try to keep the show on track, also aided by James Murfitt as the compere, Charles Dickens. The … More A PISSEDMAS CAROL – REVIEW – LEICESTER SQUARE
A CHRISTMAS CAROL – REVIEW – ALEXANDRA PALACE
by Ellie Preston
Spine-tingling yet heart-warming, Mark Gatiss’s retelling of A Christmas Carol truly encapsulates the haunting atmosphere of a Victorian ghost story, balanced out with enough humour so as to capture the festive season. Led by Keith Allen as Scrooge, with Peter Forbes as Marley, this show is perfect for Christmas viewing. The set design by Paul Wills is instantly captivating, containing stacks of metal cabinets towering over the theatre, moveable by the cast to allow space for other central props like doors, beds and tables. In addition to this, the puppetry design by Matthew Forbes is incredibly clever, adding creepy elements to the show such … More A CHRISTMAS CAROL – REVIEW – ALEXANDRA PALACE
A WOMAN WALKS INTO A BANK – REVIEW – THEATRE503
by Tom Carrao
The title of this winner of Theatre 503’s 2023 International Playwriting Award by Roxy Cook may seem like the set-up to a joke, but the narrative that unspools is instead an affectionate, gently barbed and at base quite sobering portrait of three ordinary souls (and one restless feline) adrift in modern Moscow. There is much affable, satirical back-and-forth commentary on the accepted myths & stereotypes of the Russian spirit & soul. Beset by the indignities of age, opportunism, graft, fatigue, the characters orbit one another, doomed to play out their roles in an unjust, predatory and saturnine universe. The play opens … More A WOMAN WALKS INTO A BANK – REVIEW – THEATRE503
PETER PAN GOES WRONG – REVIEW – LYRIC THEATRE
by Amy Rye
Peter Pan Goes Wrong first premiered in London at the Pleasance Theatre in 2013, and earlier this year the show made its Broadway debut. Now the production is back in the West End for the Christmas season. Following on from The Play That Goes Wrong, in this production, J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan is staged by the fictitious Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society and goes awry, disastrously so. The meta-comedy is filled with slapstick comedy, sometimes the humour may be predictable and silly, but it’s universally funny throughout – there is something for everyone here, and the laughs come thick and fast … More PETER PAN GOES WRONG – REVIEW – LYRIC THEATRE
GHOST STORIES BY CANDLELIGHT – REVIEW – SAM WANAMAKER PLAYHOUSE
by George Rennie
Drawing heavily from the classic canon of the British supernatural, HighTide’s trio of contemporary Gothic narratives uses traditional storytelling formats to address contemporary themes. Directed by Elayce Ismail, reverent musical interludes accompany tales of apparitions and nighttime conjurings that speak of women from the East of England. Unfortunately, the effect is less chilling and more lightweight, with conventional structures, predictable plot twists and an over-reliance on external forces to drive narrative shoring up some of the less relatable aspects of the genre. Nicola Werenowska’s The Beach House, perhaps the cleanest of the three tales, tells of a mother and daughter’s … More GHOST STORIES BY CANDLELIGHT – REVIEW – SAM WANAMAKER PLAYHOUSE