The Neverending Story wows kids, adults alike
Childhoods overlap when mother and son see production of 1984 movie
On a recent rainy afternoon, my son and I curled up with a pile of movie snacks to watch one of my favourite childhood films, The Neverending Story.
As we devoured our stash of gummies and sour worms, I was transported back in time — to 1984 to be exact. I was giddy for my 7-year-old to see a movie that had whisked me away from the realities of homework and chores as a kid and into an incredible fantasy world.
My son watched with big, saucer-like eyes, sometimes forgetting to chew his sweets.
The story has it all: Adventure, suspense and a menagerie of bizarre creatures all existing in a magical land called Fantastica, where kids are the courageous heroes.
When the Stratford Festival announced The Neverending
Story as part of its 2019 lineup (on stage until Nov. 3), I knew we had to go. Like me, my son loves telling grand tales and getting swept up in a good story.
Teeming with excitement, we stepped off the Stratford Direct bus and explored the pretty town before heading to the Avon Theatre. Inside, the room was abuzz with energy as rows upon rows of kids (and their respective grown-ups) chatted animatedly before the play began.
My son was beaming, too. He swung his long legs back and forth excitedly and held on to a small stuffed dragon he’d brought along for fun.
Soon, the lights dimmed and a lively mix of actors and puppets appeared.
We meet 10-year-old Bastian, a lonely outcast who finds comfort in books. One day, while outrunning a group of bullies, Bastian darts into an old bookshop where he encounters a life-altering book titled The Neverending Story.
We meet Atreyu, the story’s brave young hero, and his dedicated horse, Artax. There is the old, apathetic turtle, Morla; Ygramul the Spider and fan favourite, Falkor the Luck Dragon. Then there is Bastian himself, devouring the pages of the book in the attic of his school. Bastian becomes a reluctant hero when he magically becomes part of the story, sent on a quest to help rescue Fantastica from the Nothing, an evil force erasing the land’s stories and characters.
My son sits perched on the edge of his seat. He gazes spellbound at the extraordinary scenes unfolding on stage. Whenever Artax speaks or Falkor appears, bursts of delight flicker on his sweet face. When an emotionally charged scene involving Artax and the Swamp of Sadness occurs, he snuggles into me. He jumps back slightly when villainous werewolf, Gmork, appears.
We have watched plays together in the past and it’s impressive how absorbed he becomes. Like most kids, he is growing up in a time of hyperfast entertainment with incredibly realistic special effects. But, in the theatre, he is spellbound by the performances, vivid design elements and discovering the layers of a well-travelled story. He believes that anything — and everything — is possible in that bright, beautiful mind of his.
“Is it over?” he asks at intermission, a small worried frown appearing on his face. When I tell him it’s a midway break, he visibly relaxes and his smile returns.
At approximately two hours in length with one intermission, it’s the perfect sweet spot before young viewers start getting squirrelly.
Afterward, we meander along the nearby pathway along the Avon River and talk about the show.
“I loved it!” he says and grins. “I liked it as much as the movie.”
“I did, too,” I tell him. “They both reminded me of being a kid — and that is the best thing in the world.”
He ponders this for a moment, then turns to me and says, “You know, just because you’re older than me doesn’t mean you’re not a big kid, right?”
And at this treasured moment, when our childhoods have overlapped and I’ve successfully escaped the reality of my constantly growing to-do list, I know he’s right.
We are having our own little adventure, creating our own story to fondly look back on, and sharing a love of theatre that I truly hope is never-ending. This article is funded but not approved by participating organizations prior to publication. No Torstar newsroom was involved in its creation.