Review

The Wind in the Willows

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

Australian Shakespeare Company

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
December 20, 2024 – 25 Jan
More Info

Penelope is a 7-year old with an insatiable appetite for musical theatre. As our roving reporter for junior shows, she brings a child’s perspective to our coverage, offering unique insights.

Into The Woods Jnr
Photos by Allen Burton

The Wind in the Willows by the Australian Shakespeare Company was an absolute dream, to watch theatre in the gardens with a picnic! Stepping into the magical world of The Wind in the Willows at the Royal Botanic Gardens was an unforgettable experience, from the cheeky Chief Rabbit who was snacking on our picnics, to the crazy Mr. Toad, every moment was full of laughter, adventure, and pure joy.

The setting where the actors performed were just so pretty! Imagine a big pond with lily pads, lots of shade on lush green grass and the gardens bringing the storybook to life all around us… it felt like we were right inside the story!

The show started with the Head Chief Rabbit, who was one of my favourite characters. He made us all pretend to be rabbits with a wiggle of our ears, a wobble of our nose, and a few magic words! It was very interactive and so much fun! Then we met the Weasel, who was super cheeky and naughty. Mole was really shy and sweet. I loved how she acted so nervous! Ratty was full of energy and really funny. He was friends with Mole, and he thought Toad was a bit crazy, which was true! Badger was another one of my favourites; he was wise but also really silly, he sang a song because he was lonely. It was really funny, and he had a really nice voice. Mr. Toad was the craziest character of all! He was hilarious, but he also got into a lot of trouble. I couldn’t stop laughing at him!

The costumes were so clever! I loved the tails and big pants. The face paint and special details made everyone look just like their characters, and it was so cool to see them each come to life. One of the best parts was when we had to move to a different area of the gardens for a scene change halfway through the show. It really did feel like we were going on an adventure! The second half was outside Toad Hall, which looked like a castle. It was so pretty, but then the Weasels took over, and then it got really exciting with one last unexpected adventure!

There were lots of fun songs to quack along to, as we got to pretend to be all sorts! It was so much fun to be a part of the show! I would totally recommend The Wind in the Willows to everyone! It’s perfect for families with kids, even older kids will love it. The Australian Shakespeare Company did such a great job, and I can’t wait to see another one of their productions in the gardens! The Wind in the Willows is playing at the Royal Botanic Gardens until the 25th of January 2025. Everyone who loves to pack a picnic should definitely go see it!

Penelope Quinn

Penelope Quinn

Junior Correspondent Penelope (aged 7), has been a regular at theaters, concerts & shows since she was six months old. From school halls, limited views or the many superb venues across this city, she finds joy in every performance. Her love of all stages has led her to some amazing experiences. Keen to celebrate junior productions & talent in Melbourne, Penelope is super grateful to be given the opportunity to do what she loves with TheTheatre.au and now understands the work that goes into every production, since she was lucky enough to perform with Theatrical in the Sound of Music. @pq.PenelopeQuinn
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