Review: THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Taking place on the banks of the River Tummel, I can't imagine a more perfect setting for The Wind in the Willows. The animals of the river have just emerged from a winter of solitude and isolation (sound familiar?) and bump into Mole. Mole (Alicia McKenzie ) doesn't have friends and is keen to get to know her neighbours.

While things are mostly peaceful on the river, some animals have been forced to leave their homes so that the wealthy Mr Toad can live the life he thinks he deserves. Mr Toad moves from whim to whim and his latest is motorised vehicles. The problem is, he keeps causing accidents and creating chaos. You will never see a more enthusiastic Mr Toad than Colin McCredie. The sheer unbridled joy he puts into this character is captivating to watch.

This production features some almost panto-esque audience interaction which went down well with both children and adults. The set up of the stage means that the characters can weave through the audience much to everyone's delight. I don't want to give too much away but one of my ultimate theatre thrills is when vehicles are used as part of a production and dreams definitely came true for me at Pitlochry Festival Theatre...!

The cast of seven adapt to different roles during the story and Jane McCarry is at her finest alternating between Badger and the washerwoman who helps Mr Toad escape from prison. While there are plenty of corny puns and jokes that the little ones love, there is enough to keep the adults amused with the children being none the wiser and McCarry is a pro with comedic timing.

The Wind in the Willows exceeded all of my expectations. While the set appears simple enough, it is adapted in many ways throughout the show and is so cleverly done. The cast appear to be having the time of their lives and the sound production was crystal clear throughout.

Socially distanced seating is marked out and the venue are extremely organised with spacing. The set up of the bandstand is that you are encouraged to bring your own camping chairs and cushions (we forgot- but as it had been a dry morning it wasn't a disaster) and it was a very relaxed atmosphere for families.

The Wind in the Willows is beautifully done, perfectly cast and a total credit to this production team who have worked so hard to bring live theatre back in Scotland.

The Wind in the Willows runs at Pitlochry Festival Theatre until 12 September.

Photo credit: Douglas McBride

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