The classic, immortal story of The Wind in the Willows by the Australian Shakespeare Company returns to the stage, set against the lush backdrop of Melbourne’s Royal Botanical Gadrens. Pack a picnic and the kids to join the adventures of Head Chief Rabbit, Weasel, Ratty, Mole and Badger, and help rescue lost Portly the Otter from the Wild Wood!
Renowned for presenting excellent, innovative and accessible productions, The Australian Shakespeare Company (ASC) features some of the country’s finest actors. From humble beginnings in 1987 pioneering outdoor theatre with Shakespeare Under the Stars, ASC founder and artist director Glenn Elston OAM has since built Australia’s largest independent theatre company.
This summer school holidays, ASC is putting on some of the best interactive theatre for children and adults alike. With a waggle of your ears and wiggle of your nose, Head Chief Rabbit (played by Callum O’Malley) magically turns you and everyone in the audience into little, sing-a-long rabbits! And, while the kids excitedly run off to join the Rat Pack or Badger Patrol, Head Chief and Weasel (played by Paul Morris, also mocked as a ‘Johnny Depp wannabe’) will regale you with stories and hilarious cover songs that’ll have you squawking like one of the nearby water birds.
Running until 24 January 2021, the Wind in the Willows delivers wild antics, music and laughs, sharing tales of life on the riverbank. Running for 35 years now, the jubilant production has become a tradition for generations of Victorian families. Glenn Elston, says, ‘It wouldn’t be a real Melbourne summer without a run of The Wind in the Willows in the gardens, so we’re delighted to be able to entertain and educate children for yet another year.’
The incredibly talented actors and musicians include:
HEAD CHIEF RABBIT Callum O’Malley
WEASEL Paul Morris
MOLE Sarah Krndija
RATTY Kaya Byrne
OTTER Alex Cooper
BADGER Maverick Newman
TOAD Ryan Hawke
PORTLY Olivia Brito/James Sonnemann
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Melbourne Gardens. Enter through F Gate on Birdwood Avenue.
Dates: 19 December 2020 to 24 January 2021
Tickets: $20 – $30, visit shakespeareaustralia.com.au, call 03 8676 7511 or via Ticketmaster
NB: Audiences can book with confidence knowing that tickets can be exchanged free-of-charge up until three hours before each event, and COVID-related updates will be issued to ticket holders as required. For detailed information on The Australian Shakespeare Company’s COVID-safe plan, visit https://shakespeareaustralia.com.au/covidsafe
