NT The Ocean at the End of the Lane Festival Theatre Edinburgh April 2023 Review.
National Theatre’s “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” is at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh this week (Tue 18 to Sat 22 April) and if you are a fan of the work of writer Neil Gaiman then this adaptation of his 2013 novel of the same name is one not to miss. If you are not familiar with this author’s work, then don’t let that put you off going to see this show as it is a wonderfully creative work of theatre in its own right.
I first became aware of Neil Gaiman as a writer through his work on the original series of The Sandman for Vertigo Comics (an imprint of DC comics) and this original run of 75 issues from January 1989 to March 1996 re-defined what comic books were capable of from a story point of view for a whole generation of readers. Over the years since then, Neil Gaiman has written many more comics, books and works for other media, but always his very unique look at the world that we see and do not see is always there. The Ocean at the End of the Lane has all of these unique perspectives to it and, as is so common in his writings, there are always so many layers of story lines interwoven into the main narrative that often what is hinted at, or even not said at all, is as important as the main text.
This story is perhaps a little different from others as it was originally conceived as a story for Neil Gaiman’s wife Amanda. In this story there are strands of memories of his own childhood that are woven into the fabric, imagination, and creativity as old meets new, facts meet fiction and the boundaries of one reality and another begin to merge together into stories of wonder and explorations of who we all really are, or can become on the inside that we so often hide from others, and not the outside, more obvious face of our identity that we present to the world and those around us. Who are we really, what is reality, what connects us all together in some intangible way, what is a memory, what is time itself? These questions and so many others are part of this story and,, as always with Neil Gaiman, some have answers, and some are too complex to ever have true answers.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is not pretending to be a book performed on stage (a mistake too many people often make), but a true work of theatre for the stage which is based on a book (there is a difference) and Joel Horwood (story adapter) and Katy Rudd (director) have both brought something very special to the stage and in the process have created for audiences a unique story telling and visual experience that only live theatre can provide.
This production is one of those rare times when two very important, but often overlooked elements of stage production, lighting (Paule Constable) and sound (Ian Dickinson) are brought to the forefront and are as much a part of the story and the theatrical experience as any dialogue or performance on stage. Completing this world of reality and imagination on stage are highly creative sets (Fly Davis), magic and illusions that are often very subtle in their use (James Harrison), costume and puppetry design (Samuel Wyer) and frequently, somewhere in those layers between what is and what is not, music by composer Jherek Bischoff.
Any stage production of course needs it performers and there are no weak links anywhere in this production. As we travel back in memories and time (or do we?), Keir Ogilvy (Boy) and Millie Hikasa (Lettie Hempstock) carry so much of this narrative between them and both deliver strong performances. Completing the mysterious Hempstock trio, Finty Williams (old Mrs Hempstock) and Kemi-Bo Jacobs (Ginnie Hempstock) both give us performances that take us, the audience, deeper into their world of magic, boundaries between realms, and so many unspoken mysteries about who, and maybe even what they really are.
With Neil Gaiman, often nothing is what it seems to be and the boundaries between good and evil can so often blur, and Charlie Brooks is obviously having fun with her character, Ursula, the crossover entity from another reality. Quite rightly Ursula gets some of the best special effects on stage too.
Interesting performances too from Laurie Ogden (Sis) and Trevor Fox (Dad). Many people will instantly recognise the dynamics between brother and sister here and perhaps even a little of the inner self and emotions of Dad.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is what theatre is capable of when all the diverse elements of creativity and the skills needed to interpret them and bring them to life on stage come together in one production.
Review by Tom King © 2023
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
I first became aware of Neil Gaiman as a writer through his work on the original series of The Sandman for Vertigo Comics (an imprint of DC comics) and this original run of 75 issues from January 1989 to March 1996 re-defined what comic books were capable of from a story point of view for a whole generation of readers. Over the years since then, Neil Gaiman has written many more comics, books and works for other media, but always his very unique look at the world that we see and do not see is always there. The Ocean at the End of the Lane has all of these unique perspectives to it and, as is so common in his writings, there are always so many layers of story lines interwoven into the main narrative that often what is hinted at, or even not said at all, is as important as the main text.
This story is perhaps a little different from others as it was originally conceived as a story for Neil Gaiman’s wife Amanda. In this story there are strands of memories of his own childhood that are woven into the fabric, imagination, and creativity as old meets new, facts meet fiction and the boundaries of one reality and another begin to merge together into stories of wonder and explorations of who we all really are, or can become on the inside that we so often hide from others, and not the outside, more obvious face of our identity that we present to the world and those around us. Who are we really, what is reality, what connects us all together in some intangible way, what is a memory, what is time itself? These questions and so many others are part of this story and,, as always with Neil Gaiman, some have answers, and some are too complex to ever have true answers.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is not pretending to be a book performed on stage (a mistake too many people often make), but a true work of theatre for the stage which is based on a book (there is a difference) and Joel Horwood (story adapter) and Katy Rudd (director) have both brought something very special to the stage and in the process have created for audiences a unique story telling and visual experience that only live theatre can provide.
This production is one of those rare times when two very important, but often overlooked elements of stage production, lighting (Paule Constable) and sound (Ian Dickinson) are brought to the forefront and are as much a part of the story and the theatrical experience as any dialogue or performance on stage. Completing this world of reality and imagination on stage are highly creative sets (Fly Davis), magic and illusions that are often very subtle in their use (James Harrison), costume and puppetry design (Samuel Wyer) and frequently, somewhere in those layers between what is and what is not, music by composer Jherek Bischoff.
Any stage production of course needs it performers and there are no weak links anywhere in this production. As we travel back in memories and time (or do we?), Keir Ogilvy (Boy) and Millie Hikasa (Lettie Hempstock) carry so much of this narrative between them and both deliver strong performances. Completing the mysterious Hempstock trio, Finty Williams (old Mrs Hempstock) and Kemi-Bo Jacobs (Ginnie Hempstock) both give us performances that take us, the audience, deeper into their world of magic, boundaries between realms, and so many unspoken mysteries about who, and maybe even what they really are.
With Neil Gaiman, often nothing is what it seems to be and the boundaries between good and evil can so often blur, and Charlie Brooks is obviously having fun with her character, Ursula, the crossover entity from another reality. Quite rightly Ursula gets some of the best special effects on stage too.
Interesting performances too from Laurie Ogden (Sis) and Trevor Fox (Dad). Many people will instantly recognise the dynamics between brother and sister here and perhaps even a little of the inner self and emotions of Dad.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is what theatre is capable of when all the diverse elements of creativity and the skills needed to interpret them and bring them to life on stage come together in one production.
Review by Tom King © 2023
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com