The Window in The Willows

The Window in The Willows
(Regent's Park)
***

There was not a willow in sight - and barely a breath of wind - on the scorching afternoon that I went to see this jolly new production of Kenneth Grahame's enduring riverside idyll.

But you'd be hard pressed to find a more appropriate location for the adventures of Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger and the leafy bowers of the Open Air Theatre add their own enchantment to this muchloved children's classic.

Don't expect the wry wit of Alan Bennett's National Theatre version. David Conville and David Gooderson's adaptation is a much less subtle affair, but well suited to the broad humour of Laura Baggaley's panto-style production. The tots squealed and cheered as Jamie Beamish's pompous, public school Toad careered through the crowd. And if his little red car was noticeably foot-powered there was, at least, a giant cut-out train to earn a round of applause.

True, there's no hint of the darker side of what Jonathan Miller called 'an old Thames-side story of country house fascism'. But those seeking uncomplicated family fun will not feel short-changed. Poop poop!

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in