Dive into an unmissable tale of magic, memory and friendship this autumn.
Theatre lovers will presumably have been immersing themselves in all things show biz since the West End opened up this summer, after almost a year and a half of no in-person performances. Well known favourites such as Mamma Mia and The Lion King returned to the stage for guests to enjoy, and whilst the familiarity of these stories remain popular amongst theatre-goers, it has been a while since a tale as enchanting as The Ocean at the End of the Lane was introduced in the West End.
This autumn, the National Theatre’s powerful and emotional production of The Ocean at the End of the Lane arrives at Duke Of York’s Theatre just in time to commemorate the return of theatre, with critics describing it as ‘The National at its very best’ and ‘spellbinding’.
The production will be the first major stage adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s work (author of novels including Coraline and Stardust), in which audiences will be transported on an extraordinary yet emotional adventure. The plot, for those wondering, consists of a man who returns to his childhood home and finds himself standing at the duck pond of the old Sussex farmhouse where he used to play. He is transported to his 12th birthday, his friend Lettie claimed it wasn’t a pond, but an ocean… Plunged into a magical world, their survival depends on their ability to reckon with dark, ancient forces that threaten to destroy everything around them.
Of the adaptation, author Neil Gaiman says “It’s very strange to be sitting crying in a theatre at something you have written. For me, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is about so many things. The show is about the magic of fantasy and of memory; bravery, fear, and the universe. It’s about home, and loss, and love. I don’t know that there was ever a time made more for The Ocean at the End of the Lane than now.” In a time of such uncertainty, the play will certainly resonate with audiences wishing to escape into a world of imagination and wonder.
The story has been brought to life by Katy Rudd, previously director of Camp Siegfried at The Old Vic, whilst the cast will include James Bamford of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, Siubhan Harrison of We Will Rock You and Kieran Garland of The Curious Incident Of The Dog in The Night-Time.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is now playing at the Duke Of York’s Theatre on London’s West End until April 2022. Tickets are available at oceanwestend.com. Get ready to go on an extraordinary journey.
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