The Wind in the WillowsOpening Date: June 29, 2017
Closing Date: Sept 9, 2017 Air date: March 30, 2018 Medium: cinema, online Where to watch: Amazon Prime, BroadwayHD, Stage Player Plus, Stage2View, DVD |
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Stage Production Notes
Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows, a nostalgic children’s book following the adventures of Mole, Toad, Ratty, and Badger, was first published in 1908. The novel was based on stories Grahame had told his son, who tragically committed suicide whilst at college. The Wind in the Willows became a beloved classic, and has been adapted into a multitude of plays, films, animations, and television shows.
In December 2011, Jamie Hendry Productions announced that Julian Fellowes, Anthony Drewe, and George Stiles were working on a new musical adaptation.
George Stiles and Anthony Drewe are a prolific, multi-award winning, musical theatre writing duo from the UK whose work has been performed around the world and translated into multiple languages. In addition to The Wind in the Willows, their works include Mary Poppins, Honk!, Soho Cinders, Betty Blue Eyes, Travels with my Aunt, Just So, Tutankhamun, Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure (which was filmed live at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2018 and briefly available to stream during the theatre shutdown), Half a Sixpence (which was filmed in the West End and released under its new licensing title Kipps), and a trilogy of 50-minute musicals for younger audiences— Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Three Little Pigs.
Late in 2013, Jamie Hendry Productions launched an online crowdfunding campaign for the musical. Although it was initially hoped the campaign would raise £650,000, it proved an immense hit, and raised £1m of the show’s £6.5m budget. The crowdfunding was hosted through a platform built specifically for the production, and marked the first time a West End show had raised money through that medium.
The Wind in the Willows received its first official production in October 2016, with a two-week run at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth. Shortly after the production played another limited engagement run at the Lowry Theatre in Manchester.
The production received glowing reviews. Danielle Roper, writing for the Manchester Evening News, described the musical as “a riot of colour, humour and good, clean fun.”
The Wind in the Willows opened on the West End at the London Palladium on June 29, 2017.
The West End production received lukewarm reviews, with more than one critic describing it as “twee” and lacking in bite. While reviewers praised the performances by the cast, they felt the show lacked substance and a clear musical voice.
The Wind in the Willows is available for licensing through Theatrical Rights Worldwide.
Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows, a nostalgic children’s book following the adventures of Mole, Toad, Ratty, and Badger, was first published in 1908. The novel was based on stories Grahame had told his son, who tragically committed suicide whilst at college. The Wind in the Willows became a beloved classic, and has been adapted into a multitude of plays, films, animations, and television shows.
In December 2011, Jamie Hendry Productions announced that Julian Fellowes, Anthony Drewe, and George Stiles were working on a new musical adaptation.
George Stiles and Anthony Drewe are a prolific, multi-award winning, musical theatre writing duo from the UK whose work has been performed around the world and translated into multiple languages. In addition to The Wind in the Willows, their works include Mary Poppins, Honk!, Soho Cinders, Betty Blue Eyes, Travels with my Aunt, Just So, Tutankhamun, Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure (which was filmed live at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2018 and briefly available to stream during the theatre shutdown), Half a Sixpence (which was filmed in the West End and released under its new licensing title Kipps), and a trilogy of 50-minute musicals for younger audiences— Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Three Little Pigs.
Late in 2013, Jamie Hendry Productions launched an online crowdfunding campaign for the musical. Although it was initially hoped the campaign would raise £650,000, it proved an immense hit, and raised £1m of the show’s £6.5m budget. The crowdfunding was hosted through a platform built specifically for the production, and marked the first time a West End show had raised money through that medium.
The Wind in the Willows received its first official production in October 2016, with a two-week run at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth. Shortly after the production played another limited engagement run at the Lowry Theatre in Manchester.
The production received glowing reviews. Danielle Roper, writing for the Manchester Evening News, described the musical as “a riot of colour, humour and good, clean fun.”
The Wind in the Willows opened on the West End at the London Palladium on June 29, 2017.
The West End production received lukewarm reviews, with more than one critic describing it as “twee” and lacking in bite. While reviewers praised the performances by the cast, they felt the show lacked substance and a clear musical voice.
The Wind in the Willows is available for licensing through Theatrical Rights Worldwide.
Filmed Production Notes
BroadwayHD filmed The Wind in the Willows during its West End run at the London Palladium.
The capture was made available on BroadwayHD from December 1, 2017.
BroadwayHD filmed The Wind in the Willows during its West End run at the London Palladium.
The capture was made available on BroadwayHD from December 1, 2017.
It's a very special #Friyay because it's #GoodFriday & we will be hitting the #bigscreen TONIGHT in selected cinemas around the country. Want to be as #happy as this Bunny? Then don't miss out & check if we will be on your local screen via: https://t.co/C13fTKoMrz pic.twitter.com/jSUJCikegL
— Wind in the Willows (@WillowsMusical) March 30, 2018
The Wind in the Willows first aired in cinemas across the UK on March 30, 2018 (coinciding with the Easter long weekend). Screenings were held throughout England in April 2018 via windinthewillowstickts.com.
In response to the COVID-19 crisis in March 2020, The Wind in the Willows was released for free to viewers in the UK on the show's official website.
Between October 28 - 30, 2020, The Wind in the Willows was available to stream for free on YouTube channel The Shows Must Go On. It was the first musical in the channel's line-up to be offered as a Wednesday matinee.
The Wind in the Willows is available to stream on Amazon Prime, BroadwayHD, Stage2View, and Stage Player Plus, and also on DVD.
In response to the COVID-19 crisis in March 2020, The Wind in the Willows was released for free to viewers in the UK on the show's official website.
Between October 28 - 30, 2020, The Wind in the Willows was available to stream for free on YouTube channel The Shows Must Go On. It was the first musical in the channel's line-up to be offered as a Wednesday matinee.
The Wind in the Willows is available to stream on Amazon Prime, BroadwayHD, Stage2View, and Stage Player Plus, and also on DVD.
The Wind in the Willows PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: London Palladium
Producer: Jamie Hendry, MJE Productions, Josh Gilinski, BroadwayHD (Bonnie Comley and Stewart Lane)
Book: Julian Fellowes
Music George Stiles
Lyrics: Anthony Drewe
Director: Rachel Kavanaugh, Film: Tim van Someren
Musical Director: Simon Lee
Orchestrations: Christopher Jahnke and David Shrubsole
Choreography: Aletta Collins
Scenic and Costume Design: Peter McKintosh
Lighting Design: Howard Harrison
Sound Design: Gareth Owen
Hair and Wig Design: Linda McKnight
Conductor: Toby Higgins
Stage Manager: Graham Harrison
Cast:
Rufus Hound (Toad), Simon Lipkin (Ratty), Craig Mather (Mole), Neil McDermott (Chief Weisel), Denise Welch (Mrs Otter), Gary Wilmot (Badger) Ensemble: Chris Aukett, Rosanna Bates, Joel Baylis, Jenna Boyd, Abigail Brodie, Jorell Coiffic-Kamall, Nicole Dean, Emile du Leslay, James Gant, Joshua Gannon, Evan James, Michael Larcombe, Bethany Linsdell, Ryan Pidgen, Adam Vaughan, Georgie Westall, Natalie Woods, The Children: Lauren Sayers, Luke Amis, Sylvie Erskine, Max Willis, Violet Stokes, Harvey Loakes
Theatre: London Palladium
Producer: Jamie Hendry, MJE Productions, Josh Gilinski, BroadwayHD (Bonnie Comley and Stewart Lane)
Book: Julian Fellowes
Music George Stiles
Lyrics: Anthony Drewe
Director: Rachel Kavanaugh, Film: Tim van Someren
Musical Director: Simon Lee
Orchestrations: Christopher Jahnke and David Shrubsole
Choreography: Aletta Collins
Scenic and Costume Design: Peter McKintosh
Lighting Design: Howard Harrison
Sound Design: Gareth Owen
Hair and Wig Design: Linda McKnight
Conductor: Toby Higgins
Stage Manager: Graham Harrison
Cast:
Rufus Hound (Toad), Simon Lipkin (Ratty), Craig Mather (Mole), Neil McDermott (Chief Weisel), Denise Welch (Mrs Otter), Gary Wilmot (Badger) Ensemble: Chris Aukett, Rosanna Bates, Joel Baylis, Jenna Boyd, Abigail Brodie, Jorell Coiffic-Kamall, Nicole Dean, Emile du Leslay, James Gant, Joshua Gannon, Evan James, Michael Larcombe, Bethany Linsdell, Ryan Pidgen, Adam Vaughan, Georgie Westall, Natalie Woods, The Children: Lauren Sayers, Luke Amis, Sylvie Erskine, Max Willis, Violet Stokes, Harvey Loakes
Sources
Articles
- David Benedict, “The Wind in the Willows, London Palladium review - an effortful slog,” The Arts Desk (June 30, 2017)
- Michael Billington, “The Wind in the Willows review – Rufus Hound goes wild with Julian Fellowes' party animals,” The Guardian (June 29, 2017)
- Mark Brown, “Invest in Toad Hall? Wind in the Willows stage show invites funding,” The Guardian (Nov 11, 2013)
- Dominic Cavendish, “So twee, it's a trial - The Wind in the Willows, London Palladium, review,” The Telegraph (June 29, 2017)
- Andrew Gans, “London’s Wind in the Willows Will Be Released in Cinemas and on BroadwayHD,” Playbill (Sept 11, 2017)
- Robert McCrum, “The 100 best novels: No 38 – The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (1908),” The Guardian (June 9, 2014)
- Tim Masters, “Wind in the Willows musical set for world premier,” BBC News, Oct 2, 2015)
- Conor Matchett, “Big screen treats with Wind of the Willows at the Marina Theatre” The Lowestoft Journal (March 27, 2018)
- Douglas Mayo, “The Wind in the Willows Announced Pre- West End Dates,” British Theatre (Oct 2, 2015)
- John Preston, “Kenneth Grahame: Lost in the wild wood,” The Telegraph (Feb 10, 2008)
- Danielle Roper, “Review: The Wind in the Willows at The Lowry” Manchester Evening News (Oct 29, 2016)
- Mark Shenton, “New West End-Bound Musical The Wind in the Willows Seeks Public Investment,” Playbill (Nov 11, 2013)
- Alistair Smith, “Wind in the Willows musical raises £1m via online crowdfunding,” The Stage (Feb 13, 2014)
- Ann Treneman, “Theatre review: The Wind in the Willows at the London Palladium,” The Times (June 30, 2017)
- Holly Williams, “Review: The Wind in the Willows (London Palladium),” What’s On Stage (June 30, 2017)
- Alex Wood, “The Wind in the Willows to be broadcast and streamed internationally,” What’s On Stage (Sept 11, 2017)
- Alex Wood, “The Wind in the Willows cinema screening dates announced,” What’s On Stage (March 5, 2018)
- Alex Wood, "The Wind in the Willows West End Production is available to stream online for free," What's On Stage (March 17, 2020)
- Press Release, “The Wind In The Willows Filmed For Future Release,” The Wind in the Willows Official Site (Oct 2, 2017)
- Press Release, “Available to Stream on BroadwayHD!” The Wind in the Willows Official Site (Dec 1, 2017)
- Uncredited, “Julian Fellowes to write Wind in the Willows musical,” BBC News (Dec 9, 2011)
Written by Luisa Lyons (March, 2018; updated Oct 2020; Feb 2021)