New Victoria Theatre, Woking – until 28th January 2023
Reviewed by Heather Chalkley
5*****
Joel Horwood’s adaptation of this epic adventure is an all encompassing roller coaster of emotion. Combine that with the genius direction of Katy Rudd and you have a production worthy of more than 5 stars! In Gaiman’s words “There’s magic waiting for you. And Old Mrs Hempstock”.
You are drawn in by the dense forest setting as soon as you walk into the theatre. The constant darkness of the stage focuses your mind on the cleverly lit detail of each scene, waiting for the unexpected and still jumping out of your skin! Within the first few minutes there is a suicide that sets off a series of events to take you on the journey of The Boy (Keir Ogilvy) and his new friend Lettie (Millie Hikasa). You are drawn into his young life by Ogilvy (Boy), to experience the angst of losing his mother, the wide expanse of his imagination and the trepidation of what he has to face to survive. The quirky, funny nature of Lettie (Hikasa) pulls you in to her magical world at the Hempstock Farm, unchanged since Doomsday. Charlie Brooks (Ursula) with her bubbly, sunshine smile is excellent in her duplicitous nature, revealing herself as a Skarthatch, a dark magical being from across ‘the edge’. Her desperation to stay in this world and stop The Boy, is played out in scenes that trick your mind and raises the hair on the back of your neck. The jewel in the crown is the duck pond at the farm, The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Clever use of flowing silks and beautiful puppetry takes you beneath the waves to where Lettie really belongs. My favourite character has to be Old Mrs Hempstock (Finty Williams), the grandmother we all wish for, with her earthy wise words and the art of using the old ways. You believe in Williams as the character straight away.
The magic is completed by the ensemble who move the characters around the stage during battle scenes and bring in puppetry both small and large. The Hunger Birds and Flea are truly horrifying, bringing a physicality to the performance that is awesome!
A performance for all ages, it’s impossible not to shed a tear, jump out of your seat or exclaim out loud – so good I want to see it all again!