Toad of Toad Hall

On a perfect evening not far from the river Wye in Monmouth this original performance from the talented Savoy Youth Theatre of Toad of Toad Hall with also all the charm of The Wind in the Willows, was devised by their Director Samantha Densham. This production was in promenade form with the audience on tour which was an inspirational idea!

This performance gave every member of this cast the chance to shine and their energy and stage craft showed in every scene.

An interesting point is that the inspiration Kenneth Graham had for the character Mr Toad was his own Son Alastair’s exploits as he grew up as he was very mischievous and boastful!!

The famous novel by Kenneth Graham was published in 1908 and the first of several dramatisations was staged as a play by A. A. Milne who wrote Toad of Toad Hall adapted from the story of The Wind in the Willows.

Julian Fellows wrote the musical with lyrics and music by Antony Drewe and George Stiles and The Wind in the Willows world premiered at The Theatre Royal Plymouth in 2016 followed by a UK tour following on with the West End and the London Palladium, and then filmed for cinema.

No doubt that this work has always been very famous! The Tales of the Riverbank and Rat, Mole and Badger always fascinated the young and in fact any age.

Opening with Act 1 in the open air for several scenes, as the weather was good and starting at 6pm to catch all the daylight then moving to Act 2 in the amazing Pavilion, upstairs.

Marigold Meri Serle and Nurse Maisey Gardner opened and this was a charming scene, then the audience moved to the next scene when we meet Water Rat Zach Sheperd and Mole Kitty Adams and then on to the Dark wood of the evil Weazels with Harvey Brown as the Chief Weasel and Chief Ferrett Skylar Douglas-Thorp both these characters were played very well.

The camouflage tenting enhanced this scene a sudden breeze bringing a good effect of a gale in the Dark Wood where Water Rat Zach Shepherd and Mole Kitty Adams, both excellent performances, who were hiding in the wood to escape the disruption of the Weasels.

Then we all moved off to Badgers House with Mr Badger who was played skilfully by Elliot Appleton he was exceptional, and this was a very good scene with the rest of the cast enhancing the action.

Then all the audience moved up to the upstairs Pavilion for the following scenes and we meet the exceptional Mr Toad a brilliant performance by Sunny Mouton ! The Court room scene was phenominal and creatively devised.

We witness Toads imprisonment for his wild and dangerous driving, this prison scene was a hilarious with Toad bribing the Bargewoman Morgan Maddelena to swap her clothes for his so he could escape.

The Finale and we are in The grand Toad Hall complete with gilt pictures where the weasels had moved in as Toad was in prison! However it all ended well and happily and justice was served.

Every member of this production team and all those involved deserve praise for their work and encouragement to achieve this work, well done.

This was a fabulous evening congratulations to every member of Savoy Youth Theatre and thank you for the invitation to something so different.

THIS REVIEW IS THE SOLE OPINION OF DEE McILROY NODA

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