The Queens Hall theatre in Hexham doesn't do traditional when it comes to Christmas shows.
For the past three years, there hasn't been a pantomime at the independent theatre in the North East's happiest place to live. Last year's the Remarkable Robin Armstrong's Extraordinary Christmas Adventure (performed this year at the Alnwick Playhouse) was a tender tale of a young girl from a North East mining village battling her everyday anxieties while trying to get her head around her grandma's advancing dementia.
It was beautifully executed and tackled heavy themes with sensitivity and lightness. So, this year's rendition of The Wind and The Willows which will be performed at The Alnwick Garden in summer 2023, had a lot to live up to - though as the shows are so completely different a direct comparison wouldn't be fair.
I can't tell you if the show remained faithful to the film or the Kenneth Grahame's books, as this was my introduction to The Wind and the Willows, just as it was for my partner's 12 and nine-year-old brothers. Adapted by award-winning playwright Mike Kenny and directed by Alnwick Playhouse artistic director Damian Cruden, this retelling promised a lightness of touch and playful theatricality as the animals battled to save Toad Hall.
The first half focused mostly on the japes of Rat (Mark Hawkins) and Mole (Alicia Arkless), while the second focused much more on Toad (Adam Donaldson) and the other animals' efforts to keep him from going completely off the rails. Most of the time that failed, with Toad stealing cars, getting arrested and regularly jumping off the stage and screaming as if he were in the Kaiser Chiefs.
Toad's exuberance was balanced out by matriarchal Badger (Judi Earl), who came across as a proper Geordie mam who could deal with any situation in the Wild Wood and beyond. Animals who took a back seat in the theatrics were Weasel (Jack Blakey), Rabbit (Katie Tranter), Otter (Loren O'Dair) and Fox (Ru Hamilton).
And that's because they were responsible for the score. Throughout the performance, they played a whole manner of instruments with double basses appearing on upbeat numbers, to fox's flute and clarinet solos, to a glockenspiel representing the twinkling of the stars - all played note-perfect.
While it's impressive enough that the musicians could play their instruments so flawlessly for almost two hours (with a 15-minute interval), they also remained part of the show as the music became almost another character, following Rat, Mole, Toad and Badger through the darkness of the Wild Wood and along the reckless roads (mostly so because Toad was driving on them). The set design seemed innovative yet simple, with the local children involved in the play dressed as animals and often moving stuff around as part of the story, helping the performance to flow - while also playing a part in several of the songs.
Audience participation was key too, with the actors and musicians getting a busy auditorium hyped up for the songs that dotted the performance. And perhaps as something for the parents, Toad often broke character to chat with Rachel in the front row, which was like being briefly transported to a gig at The Stand in Newcastle.
Overall, I could tell that the performance was of high quality and the actors performed their jobs without a hitch. However, I found the story a little bit lacking, and when last year's show had such a tight narrative and a strong and uplifting message, I left slightly disappointed - and yes, I said it wasn't fair to compare the two but I found it impossible not to.
That said, I'm also aware that I'm not really in the performance's target range - I didn't grow up reading or watching the Wind and the Willows, and if you did you'd probably have a completely different experience. Most importantly, the kids loved it, with Scouts and Brownies groups in watching their pals on stage and getting involved in all the songs.
I'm pretty sure it will go down a treat at Alnwick Garden next year as well, and Toad's performance in particular will captivate kids and provide a bit of relief for tired and hassled parents.
Perhaps the biggest success for us was that as we left for the chilly walk back to Hexham's Market Place, our 12-year-old immediately asked us where he could get the book of The Wind and the Willows as he'd enjoyed the show so much. The nine-year-old gave us a thumbs up from under at least nine layers of wool, called me "cringe" (I still don't know why), then fell asleep on the car ride home for the second year in a row.
The Wind in the Willows is at the Queen's Hall until December 31, and there are relaxed and British Sign Language Interpreted performances. Tickets start from £16.50 - for more information or to book tickets, visit the Queen's Hall website or call the box office on 01434 652 477.
What Christmas shows are you planning to see this year? Let us know!
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