The Wind in the Willows

How to come back on stage after hopefully end covid and celebrate 30 years: do a repeat performance of the original title by John Morley of ‘The Wind in the Willows’, and what a delightful evening.

The atmosphere created by an imaginative multi-setting suitable to cover the different scenes within the play, most attractive.

Some restrictions in place in the size of cast with few children in rehearsal, named characters only, and the replacement at short notice of the director for Badger.

So long since seen, one forgets what an enchanting story and how to appreciate for the children. Becky Harris-Cook took us to the river bank as Ratty in the boat and messing around in song and dance, and then Mole from Toni Morina with ‘Oh My’ as they meet up and arrange a picnic instead of house decorating, lovely characters. And add in Carol Rowell standing in as a solid and dependable citizen of Badger, such friends and all worried about the Toad and his antics.

Dean Akrill as the extravert, the excitable, the over-the-top in enthusiasm, the totally impossible, was outstanding in this role to top all roles, driving his friends to distraction and still managing to keep his head above water, just.

And competing for the attention honours, in the ‘baddie’ role (to boos), Luke Fairweather as Chief Weasel inspired the children in audience into action as he led his troops to Toad Hall.

We enjoyed the well-known scenes of crashed caravan with Dobbin (Jeanette Fairweather) and the ensuing court scene with Magistrate Corinna Laughton and Clerk Laura Cook and evidence from Policeman John Brundell.  And the thoughts for Toad with visions of ‘a motor car’ and all that resulted. Off to the prison and the escape manipulated by Jenny (Alison Heasman) and washerwoman Aunt Nellie (Sheila Tuffield), and Toad was free to engage with bargewoman Corinna Laughton and make his way to the gypsies and Zelda Lynsey Boston and return to friends and Toad Hall to fight the weasels. And all ended well!

What an evening of enchantment in this tale, helped by the ‘different’ backing music for the moods and scenes.

Hope that the rest of the run went off as well as first night with no more restrictions and that cast and audience enjoyed this return to thespian activities.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.