Douglas Post's musical adaptation of "The Wind in the Willows," about a group of river-dwelling animal friends living in the English countryside is spot-on faithful to Kenneth Grahame's classic children's novel. Although Grahame wrote these stories to cheer up his ailing son back in the early 1900s, the tale of Mr. Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger holds up today as a fable about friendship and as an ode to an all but forgotten pastoral way of life. City Lit's production brings these characters to life during the holidays for a whole new generation to enjoy.
Post's script, music and direction tells Grahame's story in an intelligent, straightforward way without giving in to Disney cuteness. The songs evolve naturally and honestly from the novel. "Song of the Piper" is a perfect example, lovingly sung by Jennifer T. Grubbs, with B.J. Englehardt as Pan lulling Mole and Ratty to sleep as they search the river for the lost young Portly Otter. Alan Donahue's beautiful riverside set, festooned with giant cattails, is cleverly flexible to accommodate every locale, from Badger's wintery home to a jail cell to Toad Hall. And Ricky Lurie's charming costumes smartly anthropomorphize each animal with clothing befitting its character and class.
This entire cast is wonderful, led by Jessica Anne Cook, sweetly endearing with wide-eyed innocence as Mole, so expressive at every turn; Jeremy Trager's Ratty is the epitome of English propriety and fussiness, yet a study in rodent friendliness and flightiness; Thomas M. Shea's pompous, impulsive Mr. Toad, a rich, rascally conceited man-child with a larger-than-life personality requiring his friends' constant supervision; Edward Kuffert's gruff, but wise old hermit Badger struggles boldly to keep everyone else on the straight and narrow; and the always-enjoyable Michael Herschberg is hilarious, particularly, as, among other characters, Mr. Toad's horse, William.
Brenda Didier's choreography works well in the intimate space, especially in the Weasels', Ferrets' and Stoats' head-banging "No Tears." Musically the show features every style, from English Music Hall to Negro Spiritual, and the title song that both opens and closes this play is a musical poem that draws audiences into the wondrous, watery world of "The Wind in the Willows."
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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