REVIEW | The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Noël Coward Theatre
Written by Becky
*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
This show contain depictions of grief, brief horror and suicide.
Run now to take a dip in the most darkly delightful ocean this Autumn with The Ocean At The End Of The Lane at the Noel Coward Theatre.
The production is starting its 7-week run in the West End and never in my life have I been so captivated by a play. From the storytelling to the cast, the unforgettable set, sound and lighting design and its phenomenal score. Based on the best-selling novel by Neil Gaiman, The Ocean At The End Of The Lane tells the story of a young boy coping with grief and accepting who he is whilst facing real world monsters alongside battling his own inner demons and the inner demons within those around him. Written for his late wife, Gaiman wanted to shape the story around coping with his own grief of losing his wife Amanda and how important it is to face your emotions from the inside, It's a story to teach you how to accept emotions instead of fearing them which is such a beautiful message for people of all backgrounds, it's something we all have to face in our lives, it's unavoidable.
The cast is led by exceptional talent. Keir Ogilvy leads as "Boy", the central character of the play and Milli Hikasa stars alongside as the quirky and loveable Lettie Hempstock. The chemistry that flows with the friendship of these two characters is beautiful and endearing. Other stunning performances were given by Charlie Brooks, who always portrays a convincing villain and Finty Williams as the all-seeing older grandmother figure of the story, who gives may I add a gut-wrenching performance nearer the end of act 2 that had me in awe. An immense round of applause also has to go to the ensemble of this production which would not happen without them. The way they created seamless transitions between each scene was truly magical, they made everything flow beautifully and come across as dreamlike to the audience. Everything was done to not distract the audience from the plot but to also add to the plot as well, which is something you rarely see in the theatre.
Fly Davis brings forth a breathtaking set design that absorbs into the world of this production and this was timed perfectly with the lighting (Paule Constable) and sound design (Ian Dickinson). The score composed by Jherek Bischoff stands out for me though. The blend of darkness and whimsical synthetic sounds is another thing I've never experienced in this way at the theatre before. It gives the perfect energy and volume needed to reflect the sci-fi elements within the show as well as reflecting the sadness and mourning of the characters. Some of the songs were frightful whereas some were angelic and lyrical, it was truly a wonderful thing to hear and experience. This show would be nothing without its production and backstage team.
The message of the story is really what this play is about. Your face isn't who you are, it's what you have done and the footprint you want to leave behind. It was such a thought-provoking concept to have in a show that features darker topics alongside it but it just works so well. The standing ovation and cheers at the end were incredibly well deserved.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a stunning spectacle to behold, it really is what you would call the full package. I laughed, I cried and I jumped. With an exhilarating story at its core and wonderfully likeable characters, this is a perfect show for a variety of people to enjoy. Perfect for this time of year with Halloween coming up, this is definitely one for lovers of all things spooky.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The Ocean At The End Of The Lane is currently playing at The Noel Coward Theatre until the 25th of November.
