Family roots us in the world we live in, our mothers and fathers the protectors that guide us in our formative stages and help us to understand everything around us. The breakdown of this foundation distressing, but the bonds formed outside of this important. Taking on our physical as well as magical realm, Oli Savage’s To the Ocean tells a mythical tale of young girl, who seeks answers about her mother years down from her leaving the family home.
Spanning land and sea, Grace (Laura Kent) embarks on a perilous adventure to seek answers about her family – and figure out who she is. A box filled with hidden treasures – including a map not yet comprehensible, the meeting of a trusted friend – Tom (Fintan Quinn) along the way, a mystical forest and a stay at a mysterious inn all compounding to help our hero make sense of her family roots. To the Ocean steadily piecing the origins of Grace’s story entertainingly. The zero-waste wooden structure of The Greenhouse – minimal, adorned with strands of blue material hanging from the top taking us beyond the venue’s temporary home of Jubilee Gardens to a land beyond.
The quartet of storytellers inform us of the awe inspiring events that colour Grace’s adventure, giving the show a campfire feel. We immediately connect with the drama taking place and root for Grace to hopefully find what she’s looking for. Kent embodies a fearless drive, one that goes against Stuart Curlett’s grounded Cameron – her father, a single father, who has her best interests at heart. Alice Robinson’s Shonagh intrigues – a friendly inn keeper who really brings out the mystical element of the show and where we’re introduced to the Selkie myth – or reunited with it – depending on your knowledge of it beforehand! Quinn’s Tom is a reminder of what having a trusty sidekick by your side can do for courage.
Acoustic original numbers, the power of folklore and a tight ensemble help push To the Ocean along engagingly.
Written by Lucy Basaba.
To the Ocean is currently playing at The Greenhouse at Jubilee Gardens until Saturday 8th July 2023. To find out more about the production, visit here…
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