It’s been a long summer break but the touring productions are back at the Regent Theatre in Stoke On Trent. And to kick things off with a bang, Neil Gaiman’s Ocean At The End Of The Lane is first in their Autumn/Winter schedule.
I’d not seen this production before, nor had I read the book. I’d seen some of the star ratings in the media and my friend Mike had informed us that the book is brilliant. This led to the unique opportunity to see a show I knew absolutely nothing about, and based on limited information, I had high expectations.
Neil Gaiman’s lyrical 2013 story seems to take place between childhood nightmares and the disappointments of adulthood, and you’re left wondering which is more predominant. When the interval arrived, I had enjoyed the first act, but I wasn’t sure why as I was a little lost when it came to understanding the plot.
After chatting with some of the other writers in attendance and some insight from my wife Kerry, (who seemed to understand things a lot more than I did) I went back for the second act with a little more knowledge about what was going on. I still didn’t fully understand it though, and was hoping my questions would ultimately be answered come the end. I’ll do my best to explain it though…
A man whose name we don’t seem to catch (Trevor Fox) revisits the scene of his first love after attending a funeral. On catching up with an elderly lady he once knew, we are taken back to his childhood to relive the memories they had discussed. His dad clumsily burns the toast at breakfast, while his younger self (Kier Oglivy) squabbles with his sister in the bedroom. Their lodger promptly kills himself in the family car very early on which brings our boy’s introduction to a trio of farming women, who I can only liken to a group of spell binding witches. However we soon find that some kind of entity from the duck pond at the end of the lane has infiltrated the family unit, turning the home environment into a living nightmare for our protagonist.
It takes on the form of new tenant Ursula (Charlie Brooks) who seduces and turns his widower father.
Or did it? Is the entity real? Or did his dad just get a new girlfriend and start treating him badly? You’ll find yourself asking the same question. Whatever the case, this seems to be a story about a lonely, mistreated young man who had a tough family life growing up, witnessed a suicide, and then buried the memories of the events for years.
On seeing that this was a National Theatre production, with the company responsible for fantastic shows such as War Horse and The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time, I knew we would be in for something very special. And they didn’t disappoint with stunning visuals, incredible use of sound and incredible puppetry.
With Doorways multiplying from out of nowhere,
paranormal occurrences, windows opening to different places, and a pool of colourful spotlight becoming a small but impenetrable force field to fend off a swathe of demonic looking, shape shifting creatures, the beauty of this production definitely lies in the way that it manipulates the stage into becoming a visual representation of a child’s imagination. Some of the visual trickery bordered on becoming a magic show.
Trevor Fox is particularly good as the father, who seems to be a bit of a boring character before showing a bit more depth and hidden qualities, some rather unexpectedly. And our boy’s relationship with Lettie (Millie Hikasa) showed real chemistry between the actors with a lot of fun and naivety.
I still don’t think I fully understand what the story is trying to achieve, and maybe that’s the point. Maybe we’re supposed to be left to piece it all together ourselves using our own imaginations. Maybe I just totally missed the point! One thing I can say is that whilst some parts were very slow to burn, it was a real escape from reality for a couple of hours. And without a shadow of a doubt, it is one of the most impressive and memorable pieces of theatre that I’ve ever seen. I’d go and see it again in a heartbeat just to try and figure it out.
My Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See above for a sneak preview of what to expect!
It's playing at the Regent Theatre NOW, up until and including Saturday 16th Sept. Tickets are on sale and are available by calling the Regent Theatre Box Office on 0844 871 7649. You can also visit www.atgtickets.com/stoke for tickets and info.
Please note that the show contains high intensity lighting & strobe, haze & smoke, pyrotechnics, loud sound & blackouts. Some may find parts upsetting, such as references to death. Under 16s must be accompanied and sat next to someone 18+. No under 3s.