The Wind In The Willows

FULL LENGTH PLAYS

The Weasels' Feast THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
By Kenneth Grahame, specially adapted for the stage by Gill Morrell.
"A magical journey into the world of the Riverbank and the colourful characters who live there ... a rollicking adventure story that is bound to appeal to both young and old."

PLOT SUMMARY
The rural tranquillity of life on the river bank and its inhabitants - Mole, Ratty, Badger et al. - is shattered by the eccentric behaviour of Mr Toad of Toad Hall. Following an incident with a motor car, Toad is arrested by his arch enemies the weasels and sentenced to life in prison. But he escapes, and after a series of adventures returns to Toad Hall, to find it occupied by the weasels. An exciting conclusion is assured as his friends rally round in his hour of need.
ISBN 1 904930 43 3

CAST MULTIPLE

Mole
Ratty
Badger
Toad
Chief Weasel
Weasel 1
Weasel 2
Children (variously hedgehogs, rabbits,
mice & weasels)
Adult Chorus (again, rabbits & weasels,
but also other named parts) Alfred The Horse
Chauffeur
Bertie
Elvira
Jailer's daughter
Aunt
Railway Clerk
Train Driver
Water Rat
Barge Woman
Gypsy

CASTING
Depending on the size of company, doubling, trebling and even quadrupling of parts are possible.

SET
Various parts of the riverbank, a dungeon, a railway station, and Toad Hall

TIME - Edwardian
DURATION - approx. 1 hour 45 minutes

The author provides copious notes based on her own experiences as director for the Malford Players' 2001 production.

Script Sample - Mr Toad's New Pastime

Ratty introduces his new friend Mole to Mr Toad, who is taking a nap

Rat Good afternoon, Toad! I’ve brought Mole to meet you, my new friend Mole!
Toad (jumping up) Fire! Burglars! Ring 999! Get the police - oh, it’s you Ratty. You gave me a shock. Not that I was asleep, you understand. Just examining my investments, studying the stock market.
Rat At very close quarters.
Toad Never mind about that. Now, Ratty, this is splendid; I’ve been meaning to call on you. I was just about to send a boat down the river for you, with strict orders that you were to be fetched up here at once, whatever you were doing. I want you badly - both of you. Now, what will you have to drink? (He pours Pimms) You just don’t know how lucky it is, your turning up just now!
Mole (shyly) You’ve a lovely garden here, Mr Toad.
Toad You’re right there. Loveliest garden in the county and finest house on the river. (He sees Rat nudge Mole) Oh very well, it’s just my way of talking. And it’s not such a bad house, is it? You know you’d rather like it yourself. Now look here. You’re the very animals I wanted. You’ve got to help me; it’s most important.
Rat It’s about your rowing, I suppose. You’re getting on fairly well, though you still splash a great deal. With a lot of patience, and any amount of coaching, you -
Toad Oh pooh! Boating! Silly childish amusement. I gave that up ages ago. Sheer waste of time. I’m sorry to see you fellows, who ought to know better, wasting your energies in that aimless manner. No, I’ve discovered the real thing, the only genuine occupation for a lifetime. I propose to devote the rest of my lifetime to it, and can only regret the wasted years that lie behind men squandered on trivialities. Look at this, Ratty - and your amiable friend too - just look at this.

He pulls from the wings DL the canary-coloured cart

This is the life! The open road, the dusty highway, the heath, the common, the hedgerows, the rolling downs! Camps, villages, towns, cities! Here today, up and off to somewhere else tomorrow. And mind, this is beyond question the finest cart of its kind ever built - planned it all myself, I did. Come and look at the arrangements.
Mole How wonderful! Did you really? You are clever! Can I look inside?

Rat sniffs and looks bored

ToadAll’s complete. You see - biscuits, potted lobster, sardines, everything you could possibly want. There’s soda water, tobacco, letter paper, bacon, jam, cards and dominoes. In fact, you’ll find that nothing whatever has been forgotten, when we make our start this afternoon.
Rat I beg your pardon. Did I overhear you saying something about “our” and “start” and “this afternoon”?
Toad Now my good Ratty, don’t start talking in that stiff and sniffy way. You know you’ve got to come. I can’t manage without you, so consider it settled. You surely don’t mean to stick to your dull, fusty old river all your life and just live in a hole in a bank, and boat! I want to show you the world! I’m going to make an animal of you, my boy!
Rat I don’t care. I’m not coming and that’s flat. And I am going to stick to my old river, and live in a hole, and boat, as I’ve always done. And what’s more, Mole’s going to stick to me and do the same as I do, aren’t you, Mole?
Mole Of course I am. I’ll always stick to you, Rat, and what you say is to be but - well - it does sound rather fun. I’ve never had any adventures till now and I’d love to see a bit more of the world.
Toad Well, of course, the last thing I want is to make anyone do anything he doesn’t want. (Taking Mole by the arm) Have another Pimms, Moley, my good fellow? Good, good. Of course, I don’t expect Ratty would enjoy life on the open road - travel, change, interest, excitement! The whole world before you and a horizon that’s constantly changing! Oh no, you two wouldn’t want to bother with anything like that.
Mole Oh Ratty, couldn’t we?
Toad Cheese straws? We needn’t decide anything in a hurry. Of course, I don’t really care. I only want to give pleasure to you fellows. “Live for others” - that’s my motto in life.
Rat For goodness sake, we’ll go, just for a day or two.
Toad You won’t regret it! Just wait while I get Alfred - oh, we’ll have a wonderful time! Don’t talk about your old river!

from The Wind In The Willows

Our thanks to the Malford Players for the pix from their 2001 production.

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