Light, bright and a lot of fun – Jane McGowan enjoys an evening spent in the company of Ratty, Mole and a very boisterous Mr Toad!
Created by the musical theatre dream team of Oscar-winning Downton Abbey supremo Julian Fellowes, songwriter George Stiles and lyricist Anthony Drewe, The Wind in the Willows is the latest English classic to be adapted by the trio following their stellar success with Mary Poppins and Half a Sixpence.
And the musical certainly sticks to its quintessential English roots. The show opens on the riverbank, as England’s rural splendour is gently spurred into life by the coming of spring. We are introduced to Mole (splendidly played by Craig Mather) and Simon Lipkin’s excellent Ratty – who for me, was the most interesting character in the whole piece and whose asides and mannerisms were the only points of humour throughout.
From there it’s a whistle-stop tour of characters and seasons until we finally encounter Mr Toad (played with great gusto by comedian Rufus Hound) and some essence of a plot – to curb the amphibian’s love of danger once and for all.
What ensues are a series of adventures and misadventures that rattle along with some catchy tunes and nice routines until Mr Toad gets caught by the police and the evil Weasel gang decide to squat in toad hall while he rots in jail!
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The second half is mainly taken up with Mr Toad’s implausible escape from his cell while his friends retake Toad Hall - although I am not at all sure why they bothered. And herein lays the problem. The show moves at such a pace that the animals’ friendships cannot be wholly explored, which ultimately leads to questions regarding the plot. Whereas in the novel and in other adaptations, the audience is fully convinced of their relationship – most people have one friend like Mr Toad, high maintenance but with a heart of gold beneath – but that, sadly, is not the case in this production.
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Despite all the grinning, gurning and gusto, Hound’s Mr Toad is a thoroughly unlikeable fellow – a Boris Johnson-styled posho with no redeeming features whatsoever. As my nine-year-old daughter pointed out, he at no point says he’s sorry to his friends for all he has put them through – including the kidnap of a minor, who only just manages to escape being eaten by the evil weasels!
Having said that, if you are looking for a bright and breezy afternoon at the theatre with some catchy tunes and cute characters (the wassailing mice and road-crossing hedgehogs are both highlights!) then this riverside romp is definitely worth a punt!
- Children go free until September 9 on certain tickets visit: windinthewillowsthemusical.com for details
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