Director Gary Sefton will return to Northampton, bringing his “inventive and energetic story-telling style” to Kenneth Grahame’s story The Wind in the Willows.
The peace of the countryside is shattered by Toad’s insatiable appetite for all things noisy and new. When his new-found love of the motor car leads him into more trouble, shy Mole, faithful Ratty and sensible old Badger struggle to get their bombastic friend back onto the straight and narrow.
Sefton previously directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Diary of a Nobody and Travels With My Aunt at Northampton’s Royal and Derngate.
Sarah Perks also returns as designer. Her previous work for Royal and Derngate includes Alice in Wonderland in 2011 and The Wizard Of Oz in 2008.
The cast comprises Stuart Angell (Chief Weasel), Jennie Dale (washerwoman), Jack Edwards (Toad), Chris Harper (Ratty), Sion Lloyd (Badger), Katy Phipps (Mole) and Cherrelle Skeete (gaoler’s daughter).
Three teams of children were selected through open auditions to play various riverbank and woodland creatures.
Patrick Sandford adapts The Wind in the Willows. Composer is Neil Brand, lighting designer Matthew Haskins and sound designer Jon Nicholls. Caroline Humphris is musical director and arranger. Choreographer is Alexandra Worrall.
The Wind in the Willows plays on the Royal stage from Wednesday 27 November until Sunday 5 January.