The Only Crypto Story You Need, by Matt Levine
The Ocean At The End Of The Lane - The Most Mesmerising Performance Of A Lifetime
From the moment the lights went down at the Bristol Hippodrome on Tuesday evening (August 15) every member of the audience looked to be completely captivated. Every aspect, every detail of the National Theatre's opening performance of The Ocean at the End of the Lane in Bristol was nothing short of stunning.
The set design transported you into the world on stage, full of darkness yet also wonder and, at times, complete magic. The music was enough to place goosebumps on the skin and tears in the eyes. I was left so moved by it all, that I found myself unable to contain my tears as I ventured back to my car once the show had ended.
The story itself is one of wonder, love, life, death, grief, family, friendship, hope and despair, all intrinsically entangled into the most emotional and beautiful stage show I have ever seen in my life. Adapted from the novel by Neil Gaiman (who has also written the likes of Coraline, Stardust, American Gods, Good Omens and The Sandman - some of which have been adapted into film and TV themselves) the show takes audiences on "an epic journey to a childhood once forgotten".
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Set in 1983 and now-ish, a man returns to his childhood home and finds himself standing beside the pond of an old Sussex farmhouse where he used to play. To save spoiling any more of the story, you should just know that Neil Gaiman himself describes it as "a story about magic and farmhouse food, about history in all senses, about adults and children and survival", which he wrote as a way of telling his wife where he lived and who he was as a boy.
But even this doesn't touch the surface of the performance you'd be in for if you buy tickets. Already five-star rated, and from the producers of 'War Horse' and 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time', you can't afford to pass up the opportunity to see it.
The actors themselves were absolutely phenomenal and, when you piece every part of the performance together, the thing as a whole was completely captivating and utterly mesmerising. Even the ensemble, moving set pieces and holding props while dressed in black, were all supposed to be seen, and played key parts in its storytelling.
Keir Ogilvy (Boy), Millie Hikasa (Lettie), Kemi-Bo Jacobs (Ginnie) and the cast of The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Image: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg)The audience went through almost every emotion possible in the two-and-a-half hour production. At times, there were laughs, others saw shock and fear which caused some in their seats to physically jump or gasp and, during softer, more heartfelt moments of the show, eyes and heads were fixated on the figures on stage.
Keir Ogilvy's portrayal of 'The Boy' was nothing short of jaw dropping, conveying every inch of those aforementioned emotions, often in quick succession, and pulling us into his world, his mind and his struggles. Millie Hikasa played the role of Lettie Hempstock so beautifully, that it will be hard to ever picture the character as anyone other than Millie in the future.
The same goes for the roles of Old Mrs Hempstock (played by Emma-Jane Goodwin), 'Dad' (played by Trevor Fox), Ginnie Hempstock (played by Kemi-Bo Jacobs) and 'Sis' (Laurie Ogden). These actors portrayed such raw emotion alongside quick wit, humour and oftentimes lines that were spoken so effortlessly quickly, I could feel my heart skipping beats in my chest.
A favourite moment of the show - Domonic Ramsden, Keir Ogilvy (Boy), Aimee McGolderick and Millie Hikasa (Lettie) in The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Image: Brinkoff Moegenburg)Charlie Brooks, probably best known for her role as Janine Butcher in BBC soap EastEnders, was the perfect choice for the role of Ursula/Skarthach. She gave a stellar performance, reminding me of one of Neil Gaiman's other characters - the 'Other Mother' from Coraline - wickedly sweet, frightening, and yet we didn't want her to ever leave the stage.
It was very much like she had put the entire audience in a trance - and we couldn't get enough. She, as well as other characters (Lettie for one) wowed and amazed the theatre with certain aspects of choreography, and firm favourite moments of the show included the cast's flawlessly precise movements, the literally breath-taking puppetry elements (that we don't want to spoil here) and, plain and simple, the emotion.
Less than 24 hours on, it feels like a part of me is still in 'The Ocean' - a show like this one, which leaves you with such an indescribable feeling, is a rare find. The only way I've been able to describe it to people is by saying it has similar elements to the likes of 'The Dark Crystal', 'Stranger Things', 'Coraline' and 'A Monster Calls', while still remaining very much its own entity.
It's left me utterly speechless and desperate to go back and watch it again and again and again.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is running at the Bristol Hippodrome from August 15 - 19. You can get your tickets via ATG Tickets, here.
Review: 'The Ocean At The End Of The Lane', Bristol Hippodrome – 'Theatrical Magic'
Theatre / Reviews
"Where does imagination start and reality begin?"
This is a question posed by Old Mrs Hempstock in The Ocean at the End of the Lane and it really resonated with me throughout this National Theatre production based on the novel by Neil Gaiman.
We suspend disbelief when coming to the theatre and in this story, a 12-year-old boy has to do the same as he gets drawn into a mysterious alternate reality coexisting with our own.
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Gaiman takes us from family drama at the dinner table to terrifying monsters, from a pond to an ocean and across time and space.
Time is altered on stage as the boy makes friends with Lettie Hempstock, the youngest of the all-female clan of Hempstock Farm.
We first meet the boy as a man standing beside the pond of the old Sussex farmhouse where he used to play, before he is transported back to his 12th birthday.
Fans of Gaiman will recognise his touches during this story which he wrote for his wife "to tell her where I lived and who I was as a boy".
And book lovers will recognise themselves in the boy who loses himself in the pages of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Lord of the Rings.
Keir Ogilvy plays the boy who grows in stature as former EastEnders actor Charlie Brooks attempts to cut him down to size.
Charlie Brooks (Ursula) and Keir Ogilvy (Boy) in The Ocean at the End of the Lane – photo: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg
A number of former journalist Gaiman's books including Coraline and Neverwhere have been developed for cinema and television.
But there is nothing like the power of the theatre to really blend imagination and reality in front of your very eyes and The Ocean at the End of the Lane is an extraordinary fusion of storytelling and theatrical magic.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is at Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday. For more information and tickets, visit www.Atgtickets.Com/shows/the-ocean-at-the-end-of-the-lane/bristol-hippodrome
Main photo: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg
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The Ocean At The End Of The Lane Coming To Norwich Theatre
An EastEnders villain stars in The National Theatre's acclaimed fantasy drama The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which is heading to Norwich on tour.
The play, based on Neil Gaiman's novel, will be performed at Norwich Theatre Royal between September 5 and 9 2023 before returning to the West End this October.
This first major stage adaptation of Gaiman's work blends magic with memory in a tour-de-force of storytelling that takes audiences on an epic journey to a childhood once forgotten and the darkness that lurks at the very edge of it.
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The 17-strong ensemble cast stars Charlie Brooks, who is best known for playing legendary EastEnders villain Janine.
Domonic Ramsden, Keir Oglivy (Boy), Aimee McGolderick and Millie Hikasa (Lettie) in The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Picture: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg (Image: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg)
The show has been adapted for the stage by Joel Horwood and it is directed by Katy Rudd.
The Ocean at the End Lane tells the story of a man who returns to his childhood home and finds himself standing beside the duck pond of the old farmhouse where he used to play.
He is transported to his 12th birthday when his remarkable friend, Lettie, claims it wasn't a pond but an ocean where everything is possible.
Charlie Brooks (Ursula) and Keir Ogilvy (Boy) in The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Picture: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg (Image: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg)
Plunged into a mystical world, their survival depends on their ability to reckon with ancient forces that threaten to destroy everything around them.
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Neil Gaiman said: "There are moments of utter theatrical magic, but the things that demolish me emotionally are the moments of forgiveness or a hug between two characters."
Millie Hikasa (Lettie), Keir Ogilvy (Boy) in The Ocean at the End of the Lane Picture: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg (Image: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg)
The visually stunning puppetry and special effects bring the inter-dimensional worlds and monsters to life.
By becoming a Norwich Theatre Friend, you will receive half-price tickets to the first night of all drama performances, including The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
To book tickets visit norwichtheatre.Org or call 01603 630000.
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