Wind in the Willows

Synopsis

Toad is enjoying his latest fad, his new gypsy caravan, much to the amusement and apprehension of friends Mole, Ratty and Badger. Before long his caravan is written off and his passion is replaced by ?Poop-Poop', a motorcar. Completely taken with his new ?toy', he's totally oblivious of the weasels', ferrets' and stoats' evil plan to take over Toad Hall, deep in the heart of the Wild Wood. Toad soon finds himself imprisoned by his reckless behaviour and his home invaded by the Wild Wooders. Together with the help of his friends Toad sets off to win back his home in a battle that will end all battles...oh yes it will...

Our Review:

5 December 2011

Kenneth Grahame’s tale of the very English, anthropomorphised animals of the Thames Bank must be one of the best-loved books in the English language, handed down the generations, perhaps starting as bedtime stories. Once I could read for myself, this became one of my most revisited reads.

So it’s intriguing to report that adaptor Toby Hulse has written not so much The as A Wind in the Willows. Rather than accepting the whimsical animals as Grahame wrote them, he’s thought the story through and tried to rationalise Grahame’s rather human types.

So taking little for granted, Hulse has Mole and Rat, whom we meet first, discover they can both speak – and so of course can Badger and Toad. But as in Orwell’s Animal Farm, not all animals are equal – ferrets, stoats and weasels represent a dumb animal underclass. The thoughtless Toad exploits them – he corrals a ferret into pulling his caravan. And they ...

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