April 11, 2006
The Wind In The Willows
We arrived at Pirton Village Hall with great expectations of an evening of entertainment by Pirton Players and we weren’t disappointed. Anton and Debbie Jungreuthmayer’s vision of Kenneth Grahame’s whimsical tale of riverbank folk was joyful.
It was good to see some new faces on stage. Pirton Players have found a great comic performer in Adam Nicoll who was a particularly enthusiastic Toad. Peter Donovan as Badger was wise and earnest. Tom Gammell was a wonderfully pompous Ratty, while David Woodward was a beautifully myopic, subservient Moley. All the principals gave superb performances and their characterisations brought all of these riverbank folk to life.
There were some excellent cameo performances. Paul Kerswill was perfectly cast as the Chief Weasel and, with Paul Ribbans as his henchman, Weasel Norman; they could have been transported straight from the streets of Chicago. They were well supported by a group of gangster weasels and ferrets and their molls. Rachel Taylor was really quite dippy as the Gaoler’s Daughter who helped Toad escape from jail. The supporting cast were quite delightful as woodland animals. The bunnies, squirrels and hedgehogs hopped, darted and nibbled their way through the evening, always in character. The youngsters were particularly charming.
The play and cast were of the standard to which we have become used from Pirton Players. Of equal quality and deserving of equal applause has to be the set, which was again brilliantly conceived and executed by Graham Gibbs. He and his team produced an ingenious set of 2 pods which swivelled back and forth, changing from the riverbank to Ratty’s house, Moley’s house, a house boat and back again. I sat transfixed waiting to see what each pod would be at the next turn. Brilliant!! The production was jubilant and the audience had a thoroughly enjoyable evening. A great success. Bravo!!
[Review by: Lorna Sexton & Jilly Rogers]
Director - Anton Jungreuthmayer
Director - Debbie Keating
Musical Director - Margaret Johnson
Producer - Neil Shearer
Cast
Badger - Peter Donovan
Bargewoman - Julie Dawson
Chief Weasel - Paul Kerswill
Clerk - Katy Guess
Ferret - Lucinda Rowe
Ferret - Stella Turner
Ferret - Valmai Guess
Fox - Richard Eccles
Gypsy - Dave Tinney
Hedgehog - Daniel Eccles
Hedgehog - Thomas Rowe
Hedgehog - Henry Holmes
Hedgehog Father - Dudley Gentle
Hedgehog Mother - Susie Welch
Magistrate - Michael Tackley
Mole - Dave Woodward
Monica - Ann Fausset
Mouse - Daniel Eccles
Mouse - Victoria Turner
Mouse - Lottie Jungreuthmayer
Mouse - Henry Holmes
Mouse - Thomas Rowe
Mouse - Florence Holmes
Mr Parkinson - John Hayes
Otter - Richard Eccles
Policeman - Gregg Holmes
Policeman - Dave Tinney
Portly - Daniel Eccles
Rabbit - Florence Holmes
Rabbit - Victoria Turner
Rabbit Father - Michael Tackley
Rabbit Mother - Ann Fausset
Rat - Tom Gammell
Rupert - Dudley Gentle
Squirrel - Lottie Jungreuthmayer
Squirrel - Julie Dawson
Squirrel - Rachel Taylor
Squirrel - Katy Guess
Stoat - Mary Hollingdale
Stoat - Stephanie Holmes
Stoat - June Colgrove
Toad - Adam Nicoll
Train Driver - John Hayes
Washerwoman - Stella Turner
Weasel - John Hayes
Weasel - Dudley Gentle
Weasel Moll - Lucinda Rowe
Weasel Norman - Paul Ribbans
Crew
Costumes - Valmai Guess
Costumes - Stella Turner
Director - Anton Jungreuthmayer
Director - Debbie Keating
Front of House - Rosie Hamilton-McLeod
Lighting - Neil Insull
Lighting - James Maple
Musical Director - Margaret Johnson
Producer - Neil Shearer
Prompt - Betty Turner
Props - Su Hayes
Props - Sue Insull
Props - Rosie Eccles
Props - Debbie Bassnett
Props - Debbie Keating
Set Construction - Neil Shearer
Set Construction - Peter Johnson
Set Construction - Graham Gibbs
Set Design - Debbie Keating
Set Design - Anton Jungreuthmayer
Set Painting - Liz Chapman
Set Painting - Ann Fausset
Set Painting - Liz Gentle
Set Painting - Beth Harding
Set Painting - Susie Welch
Set Painting - Betty Turner
Set Painting - Penny Picken
Sound - Jon Shearer
Stage Crew - Peter Otway
Stage Crew - Zoe Embleton
Stage Crew - Kaffe Jungreuthmayer
Stage Manager - Janet Tackley
