These days, independent theatre is frequently charged with taking itself too seriously. Whilst occassionally independent productions are very successful, they just as often come across as trying too hard. Such criticisms could never be made of MUST’s latest escapade The Wind In The Willows: A Weasel’s Tale because it simply refuses to take itself seriously at all. Part of the program for the Kid’s Fringe at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, A Weasel’s Tale takes the well known Kenneth Grahame classic The Wind in the Willows and turns it on its head. The villains in the original story, the cunning and conniving Weasels, are suddenly catapulted into the spotlight and the classic children’s tale is told from their point of view. The pack of older weasels, enjoyably portrayed by Elizabeth Thiessen, Tom Middleditch, Nathan Burmeister and Lindsay Templeton, tell the story of their attempts to steal back Toad Hall from the evil Toad. The storytelling narrative is clarified with the inclusion of a younger weasel to whom they tell their hilarious story. This young weasel, adorably portrayed by Sophie Jevons, supplies a solid anchor for the story to be told and allows for constant referrals back to the fact that the weasels’ account doesn’t quite fit with the original tale of The Wind in the Willows. The soul of the performance however comes from the supporting characters Badger and Toad, portrayed masterfully by Jarryd Redwood and James Jackson, both of whom are so over the top that the audience cannot help but love them. Simply put, The Wind In The Willows: A Weasel’s Tale is a wonderfully enjoyable romp through the dark and scary woods.
