Toad of Toad Hall

Toad of Toad Hall is the first of several dramatisations of Kenneth Grahame's "The Wind in the Willows". It was written by A. A. Milne, with incidental music by Harold Fraser-Simson.

Milne extracted the adventures of Mr. Toad (which form only about half of the original book) because they lent themselves most easily to being staged. Milne loved Grahame's book, which is one of the reasons he decided to adapt it. The play has four main characters: Rat, Badger, Mole, and Toad. Toad's caravan and car adventures are included, as well as his imprisonment, escape, and subsequent fight with the weasels and stoats to regain his home with the help of his friends. Although not a musical, the play contains six songs.

Its first production was at the Lyric Theatre in London on 17 December 1929.

Actors

During the play's history many great actors have played the part of Toad in a number of plays, films, and TV dramatizations. These include:
*Terry Jones - Director and actor in the film, "The Wind in the Willows"
*Thomas Dempster - familiar Toad in the KH BLS play, "Toad of Toad Hall"
*Leo McKern - Popular as Toad on stage in London

External links

* [http://www.nodanw.com/shows_t/toad_hall.htm About the play]
* [http://www.mckellen.com/stage/00119.htm Toad of Toad Hall 1961–62 production] , with a [http://www.mckellen.com/stage/00119c.htm cast] including Ian McKellen