REVIEW: The Ocean at the End of the Lane at The Alexandra Birmingham

Eerie, mystifying and visually spectacular! The acclaimed National Theatre production of The Ocean at the End of the Lane exudes the bizarre and wonderful; a beautiful combination of story-telling, comedy and dark twists.

Based on the 2013 Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, the Ocean at the End of the Lane is a tale of magic, memory, loss and survival. Based on the memory of a 12-year-old boy, the story follows his journey of friendship with a young girl – a magical and courageous being. After the loss of the young boy’s lodger, a flea on the edge of their world tries to creep its way in. From here, the child’s world crashes down upon him; the flea taking over every aspect of his life. The only person he can turn to are his new friend Lettie and her kooky mother and grandmother. Together, they plot to save his family from the manipulation of the flea named Ursula – a heroic attempt with a touch of Gaiman’s renowned book and film ‘Coraline.’

REVIEW: Heathers at The Alexandra Birmingham

Dark, camp and completely unstoppable! Heathers seems to be the phoenix of the musical world: a non-stop conveyer belt of endless cast changes and new UK tours; rising from the ashes and getting stronger with each new lease of life. This current touring production is no exception. 

Based on the late ‘80s cult film of the same name, Heathers is a black comedy centring around three popular girls at high school – all named Heather. Like every cliché stereotype of an American, bitchy teenage girl, the Heathers rule the school and go out of their way to ruin the lives of others: think Mean Girls but before the internet era. Our protagonist Veronica, an intelligent misfit with hopes of going to Harvard, gets sucked into the soulless pit of adolescent power and gains a superficial friendship with the Heathers in exchange for her talent for forging handwriting. In the commotion of hiking her way up the high school hierarchy, Veronica stumbles across the new kid at school; a brooding, literary-quoting teenage boy with a mysterious and seductive flare. JD – as he calls himself, entices Veronica into a series of dark actions, resulting in multiple murders, disguised as suicides.