It wasn’t until my late teens that I finally got around to reading Kenneth Grahame’s classic children’s tale of Toad and friends, but I still enjoyed it immensely and have indeed enjoyed it since. The innocence and humour of the story’s endearing landscape brings a smile on the turn of every page and, for the most part, this production succeeds in paying tribute to that.
When Mole goes boating with Ratty instead of doing his spring cleaning, he discovers a whole new world: a wondrous wood, a beautiful river and a crazed Toad who has an addiction to mischief and motor cars. Soon, a whole host of adventures come their way and a previously peaceful life is transformed into a world unknown.
It’s hard to go wrong with The Wind In The Willows and this show pretty much ticks all of the boxes.
The tale is fun and charming and this is pretty much the tone of the show, performed with energy and excitement by a clearly talented cast. The music is joyous and adults will enjoy it just as much as, if not more than, the children.
If there is a slight complaint, it is that the show is maybe a little too long. Though a universally adored tale, it is primarily targeted toward children and 80 minutes is a long time to keep a child still.
It is a lot of fun, though. If you’ve read the book, you’ll love seeing these characters brought to life. If you haven’t read it, you’ll enjoy it all the same and pick up the book later the same day.
Show Times: Aug 24th-26th: 11:00am
Ticket Prices: £10.00 (£8.00)