The Ocean at the End of the Lane, the theatre show currently running at The Lowry, is captivating audiences with its haunting production and unnerving plot.
And while it will stay with you long after you leave your seat, the theatre adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s 2013 novel is the must-see show this winter.
Picture Stranger Things meets The Dark Crystal with a peppering of Goosebumps – all of your worst fears and nightmares bound together on stage with absolutely nowhere to hide.
With a 12+ age rating, the story itself is one of memory and grief, and of how we distort our recollections of childhood to hide dark thoughts or times of abuse and replace them with whimsy and adventure.
As soon as you sit down, you are immersed in a dark and empty wood, a backdrop for the mind and somewhere to get lost in.
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The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Credit: Manuel HarlanThe Ocean at the End of the Lane. Credit: Manuel Harlan
The whole set is that of a 12-year-old’s imagination – doors and windows are portals to fantasy worlds, wounds and plugholes lead to the strange and unknown, the outside world is frightening while Dad’s house is cold, chaotic and empty now that Mum is gone.
We first meet Trevor Fox (Dad, Adult Boy) as he returns home as an adult and finds himself in a familiar location, the old farm of his forgotten friend Lettie (Millie Hikasa), where he bumps into Old Mrs Hempstock (Finty Williams) and begins his journey through his memories of his childhood, kicked off with a traumatic event.
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The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Credit: Manuel HarlanThe Ocean at the End of the Lane. Credit: Manuel Harlan
We follow the young boy (Keir Ogilivy) as he traverses his childhood whilst also dealing with life altering changes and a new woman (Charlie Brooks) in his father’s life.
Enter stage consuming puppets that would give your sleep paralysis demon a run for its money, a music score that makes the hair on your neck stand on end and a sense of danger to rival any modern horror film with jump scares to boot.
To go into too much detail would ultimately surrender the magic of this stunning and poignant adaptation, directed by Katy Rudd, which addresses love, loss and hope through the eyes of a child.
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First shown at The National Theatre before moving to the West End, Ocean at the End of the Lane makes its first stop on its UK and Ireland tour at The Lowry Theatre in Manchester.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home
Emily Sergeant
The Council is now offering financial help to support people moving into a smaller and ‘more manageable’ property.
Ever heard of ‘rightsizing? Well, according Manchester City Council it’s a process where a tenant in a larger social rent, Council, or Housing Association property, that may have more rooms than they need or perhaps are struggling to manage a big house as they get older, can be supported into a smaller property that better suits their needs.
The benefits of this process include cheaper bills, lower rents, and overall, just homes that are easier to clean and manage.
The aim of it is also to free up larger Council properties for families who are on the housing register – of which there are said to be around 20,000 of them currently at this time, with larger homes having some of the most significant wait times.
Are you struggling to look after a big Council or housing association home? We can help!
We are offering £2,500 to help people move into a smaller more manageable home, freeing up larger homes for families that need them.
It’s also estimated, according to the Council, that a third of all social rented family homes are thought to ‘underoccupied’.
This is why financial support and grants are now being offered.
Last year alone, 109 households were helped to ‘rightsize’ and were supported in the process by a dedicated team of Council officers, as well as benefitting from the Rightsizing Incentive Scheme – with a further 432 households having expressed interest doing so in the future.
Residents interested in ‘rightsizing’ could get a cash incentive of £2,500, which can be spent on anything they like, along with moving costs.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
“Rightsizing could be a brilliant option for older people who are renting a Council home who may have spare rooms they don’t need or would benefit from looking after a smaller property,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development.
“Often a barrier to moving is the cost, but the Council will take care of the financial burden to help a resident move into a new home.
“The benefit for the city is that we can free up more larger homes for people who are waiting for a property that properly meets their needs. We think around a third of Council tenants could be under occupying their home, which means they could be paying more than they need to or they could be hit with the bedroom tax.”
Does this sound like you? Are you ready to ‘rightsize’? Find out more and begin the process via Manchester City Council’s website here.
Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)
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Trailer released for Netflix’s new Lucy Letby documentary with ‘unprecedented access’
Emily Sergeant
The trailer for Netflix’s new documentary about the investigation of Lucy Letby has been released.
The feature-length film about Lucy Letby – the infamous neonatal nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others under her care at the Countess of Chester Hospital – hears for the first time from the police officers who investigated the case that shook the nation.
It features never-before-seen footage of Letby during her arrests and police questioning, and even includes interviews with experts and lawyers on both sides, as well as with the hospital consultants who initially raised the alarm.
Tragically, it also includes an anonymised interview with a mother of one of the victims, who also speaks for the first time about her experience and involvement in Letby’s trial.
Produced as a result of years of research and relationship-building, the film – simply titled The Investigation of Lucy Letby – is described as being the most ‘comprehensive’ look at one of Britain’s most notorious crimes, and traces developments from her arrest to trial in chronological order.
Viewers will be given ‘unparalleled and exclusive access’ to those central to the story.
“This was an exceptional and demanding project, marked by significant creative and ethical responsibility,” commented director, Dominic Sivyer. “Our aim was to craft a powerful, emotionally resonant depiction of the events surrounding the case.”
Caroline Short, Head of Global TV at ITN Productions – who produced the documentary – added: “The access to all our contributors came with a huge responsibility to present everyone’s perspectives with care and understanding.
“We are grateful to all those people who trusted us to tell their story.”
The Manc -
1st January 2023 
