Toad at Southwark Playhouse

Kenneth Grahame’s novel The Wind in the Willows is a classic that we assume everyone knows or has read. First published in 1908 it is a story full of charm, friendship and fun which follows the haphazard adventures of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Mr Toad as the seasons change, but in the hands of Theatre Company Bad Physics the tale has a more sinister twist.

Situated within the dark vaults of London Bridge Station at the Southwark Playhouse, Toad: An Adventurous Reinvention of The Wind in the Willows, is a production partly driven by Toad’s desire to keep up with the trends and partly by a revenge plot hatched by three villainous animals that dwell in the Wild Woods. Stoat, Weasel and Ferret want to knock the jovial Toad off of his riverbank throne and they haven’t ruled out killing him.

Completely unaware of this threat Toad interrupts Mole and Ratty as they picnic on the murky riverbank and invites them to join him for a ride in his latest go-kart contraption. Inevitably it ends in disaster; Toad crashes, Toad gets concussion and then they all become lost in the Wild Woods, cue dimmed lights and eerie wailing.

As luck would have it, Ratty and Mole stumble upon Badger’s lair and by the time Toad comes knocking they have decided to have an intervention. For the duration of winter Toad is kept under house arrest; Ratty, Mole and Badger want him to become a ‘sensible Toad’ before he does himself anymore mischief. However, as spring arrives Stoat, Weasel and Ferret are tired of waiting to see Toad self-destruct and take action to see his reign come to an end.

The chief success of this show is the assured performances from its cast. Steff White makes an anxious Mole whose relationship with Ratty (Jonny McPherson) is convincingly warm; as their friendship is tested by Toad’s unpredictable behaviour Mole frequently seeks reassurance from Ratty, who is keen to protect her from harm. We get a real sense of their commitment to one another through White and McPherson’s body language; knowing glances are exchanged and they are never far from each other’s side.

The remainder of the seven-strong troupe also give winning performances; Mark Conway, Avita Jay and Ben Neale who make up the trickster trio Stout, Weasel and Ferret are loveable baddies while Badger, played by gruff-voiced James French, is the well-meaning grump of the group.

For all the credible casting, what makes this production unique is the hazy line between actors and audience. There are real puddles of water for both the players and spectators to splash in, their costumes are visibly wet and grubby, and the action not only takes place in front of the seating area but amongst it.

In the wake of the triumph that was Sunday Morning at the Centre of the World this shadowy rework of a childhood reading staple has strengthened Bad Physic’s reputation as a creative company and I look forward to seeing what comes next.

Toad: An Adventurous reinvention of The Wind in the Willows was performed at:

Southwark Playhouse
Shipwright Yard
Southwark
SE1 2TF

Tel: 020 7407 0234