Most theatres across the land are getting bums on seats with pantomimes and cheery musicals at this festive time of year. But not so at The Lowry, where you'll find a night of jaw-dropping and often quite terrifying drama to cut through the schmaltz of the season with this acclaimed production of Ocean at the End of the Lane.
The reality is this is the sort of innovative drama, fresh from the West End, that theatre fans should be clamouring to see at any time of the year. The National Theatre production marries kitchen sink drama with eye-popping fantasy where audiences really do need to expect the unexpected at every twist and turn.
It's all based on Neil Gaiman's best-selling novel which explores childhood memories and the blurring of reality and fantasy. It starts in a fairly ordinary, solemn sort of way as a man (Trevor Fox) returns to his home town for the funeral of his father.
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He is drawn to the ancient farm and "duck pond" where he played as a child - and a meeting with Old Mrs Hempstock (the magical Finty Williams) who reminds him of what really happened here. We are transported back in time and what begins to unfold is a merging of the real life of the boy (a brilliantly evocative performance from Keir Ogilvy) and the fantasy world he encounters thanks to the mysterious young girl Lettie Hempstock (a bold heroine from Millie Hikasa) and her female relatives who he meets at the farm.
As Lettie leads her friend into a mystical underworld, a portal to truly terrifying creatures emerges. I was sat with my mouth literally agape for much of the first half as the mesmerising performance of the talented ensemble here brought to life the horror of monsters usually tucked away in the furthest corners of your mind.
The encounter leaves the young boy literally scarred, and returning home to his father and sister where he unwittingly unleashes a monster from the palm of his own hand that transforms from hideous worm into human form. And it's in the shape of beautiful and too-good-to-be-true siren Ursula (a steely and assured performance from ex-EastEnders star Charlie Brooks).
The terrified young boy summons inner courage he never knew he had to escape the psychological prison she creates in his own home - a corridor of never-ending doorways adding to the nightmarish scenes on stage.
I'd taken my mother along for this festive theatre outing. More accustomed to Rodgers and Hammerstein than Hammer Horror, it's fair to say she was pretty traumatised by the interval.
"What have you brought me to?" She hissed. "Mother, it's expanding your mind," I replied.
And expand it really does.
The terrifying scenes of the "flea" emerging onto stage are matched in intensity and sheer horror in the second half where the hunger birds come along to do their dreadful, unspeakable things. Honestly, good luck trying to sleep after seeing this in its full, visceral, mind-blowing intensity.
If you want your night out at the theatre to challenge, inspire and downright melt your mind this Christmas, then Ocean at the End of the Lane is the one for you. If you were expecting something a little more warm, fuzzy and festive from your December theatre visit, then you need to be heading to Claus the Musical next door instead.
Ocean at the End of the Lane is not an obvious or easy ride, but my goodness it's one worth the journey. The impeccable cast and crew who brought this drama so spectacularly to life on press night were given a richly-deserved standing ovation from the Salford audience astonished by what they saw on stage here.
Ocean at the End of the Lane is at The Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays, until Sunday January 8. Recommended for ages 12+
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- Christmas pantomimes and shows in and around Manchester this year
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