Magic truly came to Liverpool in the form of a fantastical production.
Based on the works of Neil Gaiman, famous for comic book series The Sandman and novels such as Coraline, comes the adaptation of The Ocean at the End of the Lane at Liverpool's Empire Theatre from director Katy Rudd and playwright Joel Horwood. It is a thrilling adventure of fantasy, myth and friendship.
You might be forgiven to think The Ocean at the End of the Lane follows a similar storyline like those before, a mum whose died, an annoying little sister and a dad who’s trying his best. But a tragedy strikes when the lodger living with the family takes his own life and soon the characters are flipped into another world to face monsters, but also their own trauma.
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The protagonist, known simply as Boy meets the Hempstock's who are not your usual neighbours. A comforting matriarchal presence following the death of the Boy's mum, the three women help him deal with grief and loneliness, but also introduce him to a different realm.
Staging and space play a huge part in this production, which imitates a child’s imagination. Doors multiply, characters appear out of nowhere, huge monsters with no faces tower and a circle of light becomes a safe space. This all leaves the audience cowering in their seats.
Grief is palatable and uncomfortable in this play. It’s not only monsters in another world which plague this family, but violence strikes in the home as they fight to survive.
EastEnders’ Charlie Brooks plays an incredible and evil shapeshifter determined to make a tear in this domestic household. Boy is played by alternating actors but on the night the ECHO saw the performance we were treated to the incredible Keir Ogilvy.
He portrays the innocence of a child trying to grapple with big feelings perfectly and Millie Hikasa is quirky and engaging Lettie Hempstock who helps the Boy find who he is.
Trevor Fox plays a loving dad who constantly burns the toast and loses his tie, but is also dealing with his own emotions. Although dark and unsettling at times, The Ocean at the End of the Lane shows that love always wins.
*The show runs for two hours and 35 minutes at Liverpool's Empire Theatre and runs from Tuesday, May 2 to Saturday, May 6.
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