Valley Artists

Date: 11 to 19 November 2006
Category: Performances

"One of the best loved stories of our time, 'The Wind in the Willows', written in 1908 by Kenneth Grahame, has enchanted young and old alike for generations.

Join Valley Artists in November, 2006, and adventure your way through a musical fantasy with the wayward Toad, the amiable Mole, the hearty Water Rat, the genial Badger and a myriad of other characters. This outdoor production will be like no other before it. To be directed by Janine Oliver ('The Finneys', 2005).

Adapted by Janine Oliver, you will all be so excited to know that it will be performed in the great outdoors with the audience following the adventures. The Workshops with John Campbell (Circus Avalon) on Saturdays at Laguna Hall, have now finished. Approximately 30 adults and children attended the six workshops. All have thoroughly enjoyed and absorbed the technique of voice, breathing, clowning and slapstick. The enthusiasm that John empowered in the workshop participants carries through into rehearsals, which is fantastic as we approach a fast and furious rehearsal period of just ten weeks.

A little insight into a big production: A cast of 40 will play 62 characters. Most of the children will double up on roles if not triple up. That should keep them busy! Approximately 40 crew will be required.

Starring: Alex Tehrani, Darren Philip, Malcolm Goudie and Ken Barnett" - Original website advertisement

Reviews

I don't know whether I read Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows as a child or not. It's one of those books you are meant to have read, and therefore assume you have. I have a copy, of course, on my bookshelf, but when I pulled it down the other day to get myself in the mood for writing this review I saw that it was previously unopened, in pristine condition. That will change!

From the moment three red robins fluttered gently to the ground in front of Mole's house, and then three field mice appeared, and then Mole himself and invited us to follow them on a journey of exploration, I wanted to get to know these characters better.

So we moved on and met Ratty and Badger, and then Toad. My first impression on meeting this fine group of bachelors was that the director was very fortunate to have four such actors at hand - the casting was perfect, and the impression grew. Alex Tehrani plays the shy and somewhat fastidious Mole with great charm, Darren Philip as Rat proves to be a good friend, Malcolm Goudie is convincing as the schoolmasterly Badger (I wonder why?) and Ken Barnett actually becomes the boastful, always in some sort of trouble, impossible but somehow loveable, Toad.

Grahame famously said of his book that it was ‘clean of the clash of sex', which means that he was something of a misogynist, and that there are no major parts in his work for women. Of course, some of the highlights of the performance come when Phoebe (Ziggy Rus-Hartland) and her aunt (Rose Jackson) conspire to get Toad out of gaol, and when the Barge Woman (Abby Morrow) sees through his disguise and gives him very short thrift indeed. And it was easy to spot the work of Musical Director and Gypsy Lady Clare Di Natale, and Karen Butler-Hues, who was having a hard night trying to work out just what sort of animal she was - or bird for that matter.

But I think the lack of major female parts was because most of the girls haven't grown up yet, but there they were, lots of them, fey and feisty, lending their incredible level of energy (and chatter) to the play as birds, and weasels, and stoats and squirrels and rabbits and extraordinary rabbit and so on. Not to mention the boys! 28 of the parts were played by local schoolkids - there's a considerable pool of talent to ensure the continuity of Valley Artists well into the future.

A highlight was the court scene, where the Judge (Ted Ambery), the Usher (Eamonn Smith), Policeman (Tim Reeks) and Gaoler (Wojt Kowaluk) introduced a bit of slapstick, much to the delight of the audience.

Once again, the creative talents of Valley people came to the fore in the magic sets in the open air setting of the Village Green. Creative Director Bert Burless and his considerable crew (far too many to mention individually, but you and they know who they are) once again created miracles, and this has become a trademark of Valley Artists productions. It's worth the price of admission just to see Ratty's house by the river, the Gypsy camp, Badger's house in the Wild Wood, the courtroom and gaol and finally the banquet room in Toad Hall. And of course Toad's unfortunate driving and accident and the Barge Woman's barge.

Stoats and weasels and for that matter Toads and Badgers and Moles and Rats require little adornment. The same can not be said for birds and field mice and gypsies and women, and of course important public servants and officials of the court. Lynda Marsh's team has produced costumes that deserve an Oscar, and contribute a great deal to the charm of this show.

Did Janine Oliver's adaptation work? Yes it did.

Were there any problems? Well yes - a few.

To stage a production like this in the open air, and to move the audience around on the Riverbank Tour, is a major logistical exercise. Sometimes the energy dropped a bit, sometimes lines were a little hard to hear, and, no doubt because I saw the play on opening night, there were a few moves that could have been improved - and no doubt were for subsequent performances.

The play started slowly, and Mole had quite a job to do holding the audience together, but he did so very well indeed, and as we met more characters the energy grew, to the delight of the audience.

It's a great show for kids, and very entertaining for adults. A great credit to the people of this valley, to bring to life a classic of literature like this, to the ultimate satisfaction of all.

The major problem? It was bloody cold.