The Ocean at the End of the Lane (West End) London Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (115)
See it if Excellent storytelling, perfect theatre
Don't see it if Everyone should see it!
See it if An outstanding theatre show. The story, the music, the stage, the sets, the cast, the lighting, the effects. Really mesmerizing and magical
Don't see it if It’s too good not to go and see ! So original, and one of the shows that got me really into theatre !
See it if You want to be completely immersed in a rich, fascinating fantastical world for two and a half glorious hours
Don't see it if You don't like anything slightly fantasy or you scare easily
See it if You enjoy big stage productions that give you chills down your spine
Don't see it if You're not into intense plays
See it if You like fantasy stories, want to escape reality for a moment and want a thought-provoking show.
Don't see it if You don't like stage plays.
See it if Like wonderful things
Don't see it if Old fart
See it if amazing staging as well as the acting
Don't see it if flashing lights or shock moments
See it if you want to be mesmerized by theatre. Amazing show with some wonderful effects.
Don't see it if you don't like things on the darker side.
Critic Reviews (11)
"The whole production can be seen as an astute study of the psychological defence mechanisms children employ to escape possible abuse and definite grief and loneliness."
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“It’s no wonder The Ocean at the End of The Lane has been such a success, and this brief return to the West End is one final chance to see a production that is breathtakingly magical, in more ways than one.”
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Alongside them, the entire cast is just remarkable. The way Trevor Fox (Dad) goes through the motions and how Finty Williams (Old Mrs Hempstock) carefully balances grandmotherly warmth and ancient powerful being left me speechless at times. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is probably the most well rounded production I have seen in a while - wholesome and healing.
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"This is a show in which illusions and magical tricks – cups appearing out of nowhere - sit side by side with powerful appeals to the imagination."
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If anything, the diverse disciplines of theatre work even more closely together here to weave a spell than they did at the National. We all thought this transfer wouldn’t happen, even Gaiman. I’m glad we were wrong.
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The bottom line is, shows like this don’t come along very often. Maybe it’s changed, maybe I’ve changed, but second time out ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’ felt bigger, stranger, sadder and more beautiful – I wish I could swim in its twilight waters for longer.
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It’s a coming-of-age tale that will appeal to all ages, fascinatingly muddying our sense of time, blurring the boundaries between memory and imagination – if it feels true, it is true – and showing how stories can make sense of our reality.
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Capturing the darkness and dreamlike strangeness of Neil Gaiman’s bestselling 2013 novel, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a pacy fantasy thriller occasionally overloaded by its own ambitious exuberance.
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