The National Theatre’s productions of War Horse, One Man, Two Guvnors and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time are all currently playing in the West End, while the RSC’s transfer of Matilda the Musical continues to play to packed auditoriums in London and New York. The show will run for eight weeks over the Christmas period, opening on 11 December and closing on 1 February 2014.Ĭommercial transfers from subsidised theatres have proved to be a great source of income over the past few years, especially in this tough economic climate. The production takes Kenneth Grahame’s classic children’s story of Ratty, Moley, Badger and the mischievous Toad of Toad Hall and reinvents the tale through dance, song, puppetry and music. It isn't and this is really nice way of people realising that it has shifted with the times." Quite erroneously, sometimes the opera house is looked at as being stuck and old-fashioned. It could be a really exciting chapter for the opera house. However, watching carolling woodland creatures in a fairy light lit Wild Wood, while snow falls on your head, will ignite the Christmas spirit even for those who miss some of the finer plot details.This West End accolade is something Tuckett seems very aware of when he stated: " I'm really thrilled and very proud that the first one to cross over is one of my pieces. For others there may be more readily accessible festive shows around. This is a delightful festive treat for a younger family audience who are already familiar with the characters and plot of Kenneth Graheme’s classic tale. Other forays into object animation, such as the butterflies of the riverside, sadly place a primacy on the movement of the dancers over that of the object. The three stoats that follow their punk-styled weasel masters are lithe and serpentine but unfortunately have rather distractingly dead rear legs. The other puppets in the production are less successful. It's well manipulated and voiced, and leers down over a quivering Toad, dwarfed by an oversized chair that is quickly overturned to become his prison cell. The judge is a fantastic puppet from Toby Olié. The canary yellow caravan grows out of a wardrobe and some old trunks, which later become the judge’s dais. Throughout the production, the Quay’s set cleverly morphs into different locations and structures. The accompanying music is charming and evocative but the original songs are largely forgettable. Toad zips around in his little car terrorising the other creatures (and the audience during the interval) and the show’s finale features a fantastic fight scene. This is primarily a dance piece and there is much joy to be found in the show’s movement. However, those less familiar with the original may find themselves straining to read the programme notes. The ensuing dance is somewhat shapeless and lacks narrative clarity but the story is driven on by the tweed-clad narrator (words by ex-poet laureate Andrew Motion) who manages to communicate the gist of Grahame’s story. In an evocative opening Mole burrows his way out of a rolled up carpet into the open air of the riverbank. The action takes place within the confines of an oversized attic: the characters emerging from various drawers, trunks and wardrobes. The show’s current incarnation also features new puppets by Toby Olié. Tuckett blends his own choreography with music, puppetry and clever set design by the Quay Brothers to evoke the idyllic English countryside. Thankfully a decade on it is still capable of producing delight and festive cheer in its target family audience. This is the fourth revival of Will Tuckett’s dance version of Kenneth Grahame’s children’s classic since its debut in 2002.