It's certainly not going to be the traditional sort of Christmas show taking over Salford's Lowry theatre for the next four weeks in the festive run-in. Ocean at The End of the Lane has won huge acclaim during its run on theatreland's West End and it heads up north to enthrall audiences from Monday.
And enthrall is indeed the word - reviews of the show from its West End run described it as "astonishing" and "terrifying" in equal measure. The Guardian's reviewer even wrote: "I can’t remember the last time I cowered so low for so long in a theatre seat."
So yes, it might not sound like a "conventional family show" but Neil Gaiman's novel brought to life on the stage is set to challenge and delight audiences aged 12 and over in the coming weeks. We are told to think of it as "terrifying" in as much as an episode of Doctor Who might be - with fantasy and perception merging magically on stage.
