The Wind in the Willows (Basingstoke)
Anvil Arts production of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows has taken up residence at the Haymarket, Basingstoke for the Christmas season, and is a welcome alternative to pantomime. Grahame’s classic tale of four furry friends – Ratty, the Water Rat, Mole, Badger and the irrepressible Mr Toad, is timeless, and a love affair with the English countryside. Set in an idyllic England which probably never existed, but oh how we miss it anyway!
Lovingly adapted and directed by Richard Williams, this production steers clear of wild and distracting animal costumes, and instead paints the characters in almost human terms, with costumes and set cleverly designed (by David Collis) to reflect the personalities of the little creatures with just the slightest hint, in make-up and gesture, to convey the familiar animal traits.
Neil Roberts plays a rather rakish and adventurous Ratty, to Martina Horrigan’s timid, yet also intrepid Mole in well-judged performances, alongside Andy Rashleigh’s gruff but kindly, wise old Badger. Matthew Woodyatt stands out as a larger than life Toad, full of ebullience and pomposity, he revels in Toad’s ever more extreme fads and fancies, and in the dire situations he finds himself.
Supported by an energetic young cast of stoats and weasels there is plenty to entertain the children, even if some of it is obscured at times due to an over-exuberant fog machine! Full marks thought for Toad’s impressive motor car, which he manages to manoeuvre around the stage safely while conveying the madness of his latest craze.
Somewhat slow at times, the production, for me, lacks a little of the warmth and magic that I fondly remember from the original stories, but that may be due to my age, and pre-occupation with nostalgic thoughts of childhood. Certainly it manages to hold the attention of (and to silence) – a noisy auditorium full of school children, so clearly reaches out to its target audience.
If you just cannot face another pantomime this year, even for your little one’s sake, and want instead to immerse yourselves in a good old-fashioned children’s story, this show makes for fine family entertainment.
