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| About Mr Toad  The Adventures of Mr. ToadWas first performed at the Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke in December 1984, and subsequently at the Theatre Royal, Winchester in January 1985 and at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London in December 1986/January 1987. About The Show A fun-filled musical adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's "The Wind in the Willows" which relates the fall and rise of the impulsive Mr. Toad through a series of daring adventures. The invaluable support of his riverside chums helps to bring about a joyous conclusion. This delightful show is ideal Christmas and holiday fare. The 1987/88 Christmas Season saw Mr Toad break box office records at The Bristol Old Vic and that year the show was also presented at The Secombe Centre, Sutton, followed by a UK tour in 1988. In 1988/89 Mr Toad was seen at The Olympia Theatre, Dublin for a sell-out Christmas production. And he broke box office records again when he arrived at The Watermill Theatre, Newbury, for their 1996/97 Christmas Season. Today the show is also popular and frequently presented by amateur and school forces. In the USA, The Adventures of Mr Toad is published by Music Theatre International. ACT I On a glorious Spring morning on the Riverbank the Riverside animals are playing happily when, suddenly, Mole appears from under the ground. Rat introduces himself and sings of the wonders of river life. They decide to spend the day together and commence their picnic. Badger arrives, complaining about Toad's latest craze. He then sets off to Toad Hall with the intention of sorting out Toad once and for all. Toad appears and invites Rat and Mole to go caravanning with him. They pack away the picnic and set off in the caravan.  The action moves to the Wild Wood, where the wicked Weasels, led by the evil Chief Weasel, are performing their tribal dance. In the distance is heard the sound of the caravan, which is then forced into a ditch by an approaching car. The Weasels, delighted by the accident, disperse as the panic-stricken horse charges onstage. Rat, Mole and Toad arrive. Rat suggests that the cart should be mended but Toad is in the grip of a new craze: he now wants a motor car! Rat takes Toad off to look for the wheelwright but Mole, left on his own, is frightened by the weird shapes of the Wild Wood. The voices of the Wildwooders lure him into the wood, but Rat arrives just in time to rescue him from the clutches of the Chief Weasel. They decide to take shelter from the wind and snow and, by chance, find Badger's house where they stay for the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, at Toad Hall Toad is pursuing his latest craze. He takes delivery of a new motor car but, as usual, manages to wreck it. After breakfast at Badger's house Mole, Rat and Badger decide that the time has come to take Toad in hand. On arrival at Toad Hall, while Badger takes Toad inside for a lecture, Rat remembers life on the river. The animals lock Toad in his bedroom and take it in turns to guard him until he agrees to give up motor cars. However, Toad feigns illness and escapes through the window to find a new vehicle. Read on for ACT II | |||||||||||||||||||||||
