Toad’s New Vic adventure in Wind in the Willows

Published: 11 November 2018
Reporter: Steve Orme

The cast of The Wind in the Willows in rehearsal Credit: Andrew Billington

Eleven actor-musicians will bring to life characters including Toad, Badger and Mole in Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows at the New Vic, Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The theatre’s artistic director Theresa Heskins has adapted the story which will be directed by Peter Leslie Wild, returning to the Staffordshire theatre-in-the-round after being at the helm of Frederick Knott’s Dial M for Murder in 2017 and Brendan Murray’s Seeing the Lights in 2015.

Kieran Buckeridge will play Fox and Matthew Burns takes the roles of horse, jailer and guard. Sophia Hatfield is Mrs Otter, Richard Keightley plays Rat, Emma Manton is Badger and Alicia McKenzie plays Mole.

Anne-Marie Piazza takes the roles of a landlady and washerwomen, Andrew Roberts-Palmer is a magistrate and train driver, Robyn Sinclair plays Maudie, Laura Soper is Portly and Rob Witcomb plays Toad.

Completing the company is a cast of 24 young performers from the local community.

Matt Baker is composer and musical director, the set will be designed by New Vic head of workshop Laura Willstead, costumes will be designed by head of design Lis Evans, lighting will be by Daniella Beattie and sound by James Earls-Davis.

Choreographer is Cariad Morgan, fight director will be Philip d'Orléans and Anna Poole is assistant director.

The Wind in the Willows will run at the New Vic from Saturday 17 November until Saturday 26 January 2019.

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