Toad Of Toad Hall
by A.A. Milne

Reviewed by Donald Madgwick for The Croydon Advertiser

Animals in a flurry

I was more than a little intrigued to read that Theatre Workshop Coulsdon’s producer Richard Lloyd intended to treat “Toad of Toad Hall” as a satire on Edwardian society, with Toad representing the worst face of the aristocracy and the Wild Wooders the emergent radical forces.

Such Marxist analysis in the dear old Youth and Social Centre?

Well, no. The production, as it turned out, said nothing to us about these things, or about very much else for that matter. True, the servility of the Wild Wooders towards the victorious Toad came over very well; but all that is doubly underlined in the text anyway.

As a matter of fact, the Wild Wooders were a more animated bunch than the River Bankers, and this was rather like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern upstaging the Prince of Denmark.

Costumes and settings were generally good, but the effect was spoiled by some quite disastrous lighting, which did all sorts of capricious things throughout the evening.

As for characterisations, the principals would have done well to take a few deep breaths and allow the lines to unfold their subtleties.

This was especially evident in Chris Woolgar’s Badger, not nearly solemn or portentous enough, and in Tim Young’s Toad, who left himself no room to savour what is not only the best part in the play but one of the best in children’s drama.

Too much rush and flurry, and unnecessary gesture, took the bloom off his performance.

Lacking any kind of accompaniment, the production very nearly dispensed with music altogether. Even Toad’s celebrated song of self-glorification, so often alluded to in the text, was not sung at all but, horror of horrors, recited!

Such few songs as remained badly needed at least a piano to give them some backbone.

There was an appealing performance by Christine Cooper, who showed us something of Mole’s wonderment at being allowed to take part in such spiffing adventures.

Nigel Sorensen was a restrained Water Rat, and Tim Warner’s Judge was expressive and clearly spoken.

Cast Details:

Marigold

Helen Noble

Nurse

Lindsey Elliot

Mole

Christine Cooper

The Water Rat

Nigel Sorensen

Mr Badger

Chris Woolgar

The Toad

Tim Young

Alfred, Toad’s aged retainer

Richard Lloyd

Chief Weasel

Marc Weston

Chief Ferret

Martin Cole

Chief Stoat

Claudia Dean

The Judge

Tim Warner

The Court Usher

Chris Argles

The Policeman

Martin Cole

Phoebe

Lesley Argles

Washerwoman

Jan Collis

A Small Stoat

Paul Jones

Mr Fox

Richard Lloyd