Taurian Teelucksingh & Larence Libor with members The Wind in the Willows ensemble | Photo by Michael Cooper
“Poop, poop!”
That’s Toad’s impression of a motor car, which I find inordinately hilarious. He’s obsessed with motor cars. It gets him into a lot of trouble. And makes him very annoying. Oh, that’s not all that makes him annoying. He’s also arrogant and boastful and mischievous. But I like Toad anyway. His friends—Rat, Mole and Badger—like him too. Our friends can test our patience, with their obsessions and opinions and quirks. But if it wasn’t for those traits, they wouldn’t be them and wouldn’t be our friends.
That was one of my main takeaways from Kenneth Grahame’s classic children’s book. I read it for the first time a few weeks ago in preparation for this Shaw Festival production of The Wind in the Willows. It thoroughly charmed me. I’m not familiar with A.A. Milne’s theatrical version, Toad of Toad Hall, which director Fiona Sauder has adapted here, so am unsure how faithful it is to that particular text, but they have absolutely captured the essential spirit of the original.
Having tracked Sauder’s work with Bad Hats Theatre for a little while, I’m familiar with their innovation, whimsy and collaborative gusto. There is always a sense of dress-up and horseplay, where fanciful theatrical artifice invites audiences—children and adults alike!—to revel in the ordinary made extraordinary through communal imagination.
The book is episodic, giving us more time with other members of the main foursome. Most of these episodes have been dropped, fixating on Toad’s (Lawrence Libor) plight—his car obsession, jail time (having stolen a car and smashed it about), and eventual escape disguised as a washerwoman! Even this specific scenario has been truncated for simplicity and pacing. Though some of my favourite episodes from the book have been lost, many of the elements have been repurposed and sprinkled throughout.
The story celebrates an array of experiences, from the mundane to the exhilarating—picnicking by the river, risky adventures, grand battles, simple good company—and all are equal here. As Badger (Shawn Wright), Mole (Gabriella Sundar Singh) and Rat (Sharry Flett) try to save Toad from himself and, eventually, his luxurious home, Toad Hall, from weasel intruders, we get a sense of each of them.
Their human traits shine forth most intensely, of course, but there is some subtle, gestural flourishes that suggest their distinct animality. I was especially entranced by Flett’s ever-so-rodent-like curling and flicking of her hands. Libor’s Toad is the most flamboyant, utterly determined to be the centre of attention at all times, thrusting his arms out dramatically and scampering about with his legs spread in a way that really sells his toady deal.
The entire ensemble offer appealing spectacle and persuasive supporting personalities. Anywhere you look, every pocket of background action will offer an evocative, purposeful glimpse into this world. I was especially won over by Taurian Teelucksingh’s turn as an over exploited, under appreciated, never consulted, haughty horse named Alfred. His jerky, expressive manipulation of the bristly, wooden equine puppet is quite masterful.
Gabriella Sundar Singh in The Wind in the Willows | Photo by Michael Cooper
Like the performances, the costumes don’t oversell the animal vibes. Laura Delchiaro has suited everyone up with a folksy aesthetic punctuated by some bushy tails and furry ears.
Judith Bowden’s gorgeous set features a expanse of vinyl flooring styled to look both like faded carpet and greenery. Fuzzy, irregularly shaped mats suggest mossy patches. Overhead, there’s a whole canopy of green foliage. A few oversized props—huge buttons, towering pencil crayons and a massive teacup—hint at the size of these characters and immerse us in their environment.
All these textures are given playful dimension by Kevin Lamotte’s vibrant lighting. Jeff Newberry’s stirring original score is propulsive and fosters a potent sense of urgency and momentum.
In this exceptionally well-executed piece of children’s theatre, all the elements have been crafted with care and are in perfect alignment. It’s lovely. And so much fun.
Like Toad, I really can’t resist one more…
“Poop, poop!”
The Wind in the Willows
May 22 to September 27, 2026
Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre
(10 Queen’s Parade, Niagara-on-the-Lake)
2 hours (including intermission)
Graeme Kitigawa, Sara Farb, Jacqueline Thair & Taurian Teelucksingh in The Wind in the Willows | Photo by Michael Cooper