DATE 9th December 2021

SOCIETY Wombwell Thespians ADS

VENUE The Playhouse Theatre – Wombwell

TYPE OF PRODUCTION – Play

DIRECTOR – Jeff Tiler

PRODUCER – Jeff Tiler

Report Author – Sue Cox

Kenneth Grahame’s classic, “The Wind in the Willows”, has been entertaining adults and children alike for over a hundred years with characters such a Ratty, Mole, Badger and, of course, the unruly Toad. This adaptation for the stage does not leave out any of the characters we have become so familiar with. All the main characters not only had copious amounts of lines to deliver, but also had songs to sing along with the rest of the cast. This they did with ease and the whole production moved along nicely.                                     The society is fortunate to have a director who can write both the music and words to match which enhanced the production nicely. Karen McQuarrie took on the role of Mole and played this character with the sensitivity and care that is needed. Rat, played by Lewis Conway, gave a good interpretation of how we think a rat would behave. With a powerful voice Amanda Marcroft gave an excellent and strong performance of Badger. Robert Wilson gave a brilliant performance of a larger-than-life Toad. Robert’s diction and character projection was that of a Shakespearian actor.  With an additional thirteen characters a number of the cast doubled-up on their roles which they all did with confidence and ease. It would be very unfair of me to mention them all individually. Directing a production with number of scene changes and characters making many entrances and exits is not an easy task. However, this was well thought out and with a minimalistic set and props, enhanced with a first-class lighting and sound effects, all helped the audience to use their imaginations. Acting as animals is not easy by any imagination and I would have liked to have seen the cast with make-up to match the characters they were portraying. Congratulations to everyone involved with this splendid production. Thank you for the kind invitation and a most enjoyable evening.  Looking forward to your next production.