I know that The Wind in the Willows has a dear place in the hearts of those who read it as children. However, I’ve never read it at all, either as a child, or as a parent; so I came to this production cold, with only my faith in Illyria to guide me.
Not to worry: the story of Toad, Mole, Rat and Badger was here so clearly and engagingly told no prior knowledge was needed; but in case you’re wondering, it’s a warm tale of the potential reformation of badly-behaved Mr Toad, thanks to the support of his friends, who help him resist the attempts of the weasels to steal his magnificent mansion, Toad Hall.
Themes such as friendship, loyalty, and the importance of having a home matter as much as the narrative, giving the story – and this production – a wonderfully warm beating heart.
As I understand it, most productions focus largely on misbehaving Mr Toad, and you can see why. There’s no doubt Callum Stewart could have carried the whole show were that the case here, such is his absolute mastery of the role. Indeed, partly as a result of his charisma, there was an extremely funny moment (amongst many) when Mr Toad asked the audience whether he should steal a car, and every child gave him an enthusiastic ‘Yes!’, leading him to question our parenting abilities.
Some wonderful acting, as well as bold editorial and directorial decisions make this more of an ensemble piece, however, with Mole, Rat and Badger being embodied just as well by Rachel O’Hare, Nicholas Lee and Edward Simpson respectively. By the end, it feels like they’re your friends as well as each other’s.
Looking around at the many children in the audience, I did have a slight worry at the outset that – at 11 years old – my daughter and fellow reviewer might be a little old for the show, but such is the warmth and wit of thus production, this fear was very short lived indeed. Nor did the show only entertain the children present; such was the storytelling verve, adults alike were enthralled, not least due to the occasional nods in their direction such as the appearance of a very Trumpian villain and his hench-weasels.
With four actors playing an average of at least five-and-a-half roles each, only the highest levels of clarity in characterisation would suffice. Once again, with the help of some glorious costumes, a hugely committed and outrageously talented Illyrian cast made this look easy. In fact, other than Illyria’s other shows, the only comparative example of such acting grace and versatility I can think of is in the golden age of Horrible Histories.
Yes, they really are that good.
One of Illyria’s other great strengths is a steadfast refusal to rest on their laurels. The differing yet equally magical ways a car, a caravan, a boat, a train and a barge are brought to vivid life are cases in point, proving sometimes it’s worth reinventing the wheel, not just from production to production, but within each production as well.
Add to that a load of wonderful songs and gags, as well as some great slapstick and visual humour, and I found myself hoping that this might be the first time many in the audience had experienced not just outdoor theatre, or even Illyrian theatre, but any sort of theatre at all – the only potential downside being that the bar will be set so high that productions by other companies might disappoint.
With everyone’s contributions playing into a very, very enjoyable evening, I’ll end by listing everyone in the prodigiously capable crew; they deserve the deafening applause every bit as much as those who appeared on stage.
Director, Adaptation & Composer Oliver Gray
Producer Stephen Badham
Assistant Director & Choreographer Kim Healey
Orchestration & Music Tracks Ben Wiles
Production Assistant Lauren Birchmore
Vehicles variously by QDivision, Alan Munden, Jennifer Rigby
Scenery Alan Munden, Jill Wilson, Nick Ash, Christopher Barlow
Scenic Painter Al Carter
Costume Pat Farmer, Curlywilly Prod
Poster Design Frazer Marr
