The Wind in the Willows

Hints, Tips, and Tricks

"My musical adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's rich and colorful novel has now had over 250 productions around the world and, although I have only been involved in a dozen or so stagings of the work, I would like to think that I've learned a thing or two in my time along the river bank.

What should the set look like?

The show is written in the form of story theater. Members of the company are called upon to narrate the play and occasionally comment on their own actions as well as the actions of others. I believe this helps to create an informal and presentational style of playing whereby the audience is asked to imagine more than can actually be realized on stage. They must invest themselves in the story. In light of this, I believe that a simple unit set that speaks for the natural world and the environment of the woodlands, and to which minimal pieces of scenery and furniture can be added and subtracted, is far more effective than attempting to literally create a river bank, a forest, Badger's house and so on. That being said, the setting does need to have some sense of surprise allowing for a variety of entrances and exits. When Mole first pops his head out of Mole End that should be a surprise. When Badger's front door is revealed to us that should be a surprise. And the trap door that leads from the underground passage right up into the middle of Toad Hall should certainly come as a shock. But the play should be performed in as fluid a fashion as possible, so the less fuss with sets and props, the better.

What about the costumes?

I would discourage any company from literally attempting to construct animals on stage. The actors I have worked with wore standard British garb of the early twentieth century. Toad was decked out as a gregarious playboy. Rat, Mole, Otter and Badger dressed as gentlemen of the country. The Field Mice and Hedgehogs were garbed as schoolchildren. And the Wildwooders wore clothes appropriate to the lower classes - coal miners, chimney sweeps and such. No animal makeup was used. Only through specific movement and gesture were the characteristics of the animals suggested.

Any thoughts on accents?

I believe that a good dialect coach is almost a necessity as I think much of the humor and poetry of the play is lost if it is not performed with British accents. Call me a snob. I have also discovered that the text is best served if it moves at a fairly good pace, pausing only to allow for some of the more heartfelt moments.

How many actors does it take to make this musical happen?

I wrote the show to be performed by a cast of fourteen (eight men and six women), although I have since staged it with thirteen (seven and six). I think this allows the company to have a great deal of fun with the multiple casting of the characters. However, there is no good reason why more actors can't be added to fill out the ranks. I have seen productions with twenty or thirty people on stage. And I have been sent programs from certain schools where it seems that half of the student body must have been involved. So it is certainly possible to think big. Incidentally, I chose to cast the role of Mr. Mole against gender. I'm not sure why it worked so well to have a woman play this part, but it did. I have also always cast the role of Chief Weasel with an actress. The songs of these two characters are written for female voices, so I would encourage you to keep that in mind as you proceed.

What sort of research should a company do before they proceed with a production?

There can be no greater source of inspiration for any production of this musical than Grahame's own book. It is a masterpiece. And it will reveal to you much more about the characters, the setting and the action of the story than I have, for reasons of space and time, been able to include."

Tip by Douglas Post Adapter & Composer of The Wind in the Wind