| The Ocean at the End of the Lane | |
|---|---|
 Poster for the National Theatre production, illustrated by Nico Delort | |
| Written by | Neil Gaiman (novel) Joel Horwood (play) |
| Date premiered | 11 December 2019 |
| Place premiered | Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre, London |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy Drama |
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a 2019 play based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman and adapted for the stage by Joel Horwood.
The play made its world premiere in the Dorfman Theatre at the National Theatre, London with previews beginning on 3 December 2019 (opening night 11 December) running until 25 January 2020. The production is directed by Katy Rudd, set designed by Fly Davis, costume and puppet design by Samuel Wyer, movement direction by Steven Hoggett and composed by Jherek Bischoff
The production received 3 nominations at the 2020 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best New Play, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Josie Walker and won the award for Best Lighting for Paule Constable.
Following the success at the National, the production was announced to transfer to the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End in autumn 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic the transfer was postponed until 23 October 2021 and ran until 14 May 2022. [1] [2] Casting was unveiled in September 2021. [3]
The production toured the UK and Ireland beginning at The Lowry, Salford on 12 December 2022 until October 2023. Casting was unveiled in October 2022. [4]
The production returned to London's West End at the Noël Coward Theatre for a limited run from 11 October to 25 November 2023 featuring the cast from the tour.
| Character | National Theatre | West End | UK and Ireland Tour [5] [6] | West End Revival [7] [8] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| Boy | Samuel Blenkin | James Bamford | Keir Ogilvy | |
| Boy (Alternate) | — | Daniel Cornish | ||
| Lettie Hempstock | Marli Siu | Nia Towle | Millie Hikasa | |
| Ginnie Hempstock | Carlyss Peer | Siubhan Harrison | Kemi-Bo Jacobs | |
| Old Mrs Hempstock | Josie Walker | Penny Layden | Finty Williams | |
| Sis / Ensemble | Jade Croot | Grace Hogg-Robinson | Laurie Ogden | |
| Ursula / Skarthach | Pippa Nixon | Laura Rogers | Charlie Brooks | |
| Dad | Justin Salinger | Nicolas Tennant | Trevor Fox | |
| Lodger / Ensemble | Jeff D'Sangalang | Ronnie Lee | ||
| Ensemble | Fred Davis Owain Gwynn Jess Williams | Ruby Ablett Emma Bown Charlie Cameron Kieran Garland Miranda Heath Tom Mackley Charleen Qwaye Peter Twose | Emma-Jane Goodwin Paolo Guidi Lewis Howard Aimee McGoldrick Domonic Ramsden Joe Rawlinson-Hunt Risha Silvera Jasmeen James | |
The play received five star reviews from The Telegraph, [9] Sunday Times, WhatsOnStage, [10] Gay Times [11] and SFX Magazine.
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Laurence Olivier Awards [12] | Best New Play | Nominated | |
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Josie Walker | Nominated | ||
| Best Lighting Design | Paule Constable | Won | ||
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is an open-air theatre in Regent's Park in central London, established in 1932. Originally known for its Shakespearean productions, the theatre now features a wide variety of performances, including musicals, operas and plays simplified for children
Tom Morton-Smith is an Olivier award-winning English playwright.
Paul Arditti is a British sound designer, working mostly in the UK and the US. He specialises in sound for theatre musicals and plays. He has won awards for his work including a Tony Award, two Olivier Awards, three Drama Desk Awards and a BroadwayWorld.com Fans' Choice Award.
Victoria Hamilton-Barritt is an English actress and singer known primarily for her roles in musical theatre.
Rufus Norris is a British theatre and film director, who is currently the artistic director and chief executive of the National Theatre.
Jeremy Herrin is an English theatre director. He is a Founding Director of Second Half Productions with Alan Stacey and Rob O’Rahilly. He was previously Artistic Director of the British touring theatre company; Headlong.
David Pugh is a West End and Broadway theatre producer.
The Full Monty is a comedy play written by Simon Beaufoy, from his original screenplay for the 1997 film The Full Monty. It made its world premiere at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield in February 2013, before touring the United Kingdom. A West End production was launched at the Noël Coward Theatre in February 2014. Followed by UK Tours in 2014/15 and 2016/17.
Mrs Henderson Presents is a musical comedy with music by George Fenton and Simon Chamberlain, with lyrics by Don Black and a book by Terry Johnson. Based on the 2005 film Mrs Henderson Presents, the musical received its world premiere at the Theatre Royal, Bath in 2015 and transferred to the West End's Noël Coward Theatre in February 2016. The film was based on the true story of Laura Henderson and London's Windmill Theatre.
Half a Sixpence is a stage musical based on the 1905 novel Kipps by H. G. Wells and the original 1963 musical, with music by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, and lyrics by Anthony Drewe and Heneker, featuring several of the original songs by Heneker, and book by Julian Fellowes.
Charlie Stemp is an English actor. Stemp came to prominence for his leading role as Arthur Kipps in the West End musical Half a Sixpence, which earned him a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor in a Musical and nomination for a 2017 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical.
Calendar Girls The Musical is a musical by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth, based on the 2003 film Calendar Girls, which is in turn based on a true story, and the original 2008 play adaptation by Firth.
Quiz is a play written by James Graham. Originally commissioned by theatre producer, William Village, it made its world premiere at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in November 2017, before transferring to the Noël Coward Theatre in London's West End in March 2018. The play centres on the true story of Charles Ingram and the coughing scandal that surrounded his 2001 win of £1,000,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. In 2020, the stage play was adapted for a TV series of the same name.
Home, I'm Darling is a play by Laura Wade.
Magic Goes Wrong is a comedy play by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, Henry Shields and Penn & Teller. It follows the series of Mischief's Goes Wrong series of plays following The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong.
Sam Tutty is an English actor. He is most known for his title role in the West End production of the musical Dear Evan Hansen for which a then 22-year-old Tutty won a 2020 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, becoming one of the youngest winners of the award. In 2021, he briefly joined the cast of the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks as Timmy Simons.
The Great British Bake Off Musical is a musical with book and lyrics by Jake Brunger and music and lyrics by Pippa Cleary, based on the British television baking competition of the same name.
Life of Pi is a play based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Yann Martel adapted for the stage by Lolita Chakrabarti.
Patriots is a dramatic stage play by British playwright Peter Morgan. The play follows the life of billionaire Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky through the decline of the Soviet Union and the rise of the Russian oligarchs.
The Motive and the Cue is a play written by Jack Thorne. The production, directed by Sam Mendes, premiered on 21 April 2023 at the National Theatre in London. The play revolves around the history behind the 1964 Broadway modern-dress production of William Shakespeare's Hamlet starring Richard Burton in a production directed by Sir John Gielgud. As rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel. The original cast includes Johnny Flynn as Burton, Mark Gatiss as Gielgud, and Tuppence Middleton as Elizabeth Taylor.