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Faringdon Community Dramatic Society can be proud of itself. It may have departed from traditional pantomime this year with John Morley's adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, but there is no doubting that it scored a major triumph through good casting,
confident production and some inspired performances.
For amateurs, this group shows up some remarkable individual
talents. It's not easy, for instance, to be a scene-stealer while dressed and made-up all in black, and
conveying an apologetic, wimpish personality ... But Maria Hussey, once into her stride, turned Mole into one of the show's most lovable characters.
Perhaps it's not quite so difficult to play the villain of the piece,
especially if you are called Chief Weasel, but Carolyn Taylor choreographed her part so that instead of strutting (that was left to Toad), she writhed and slithered around the stage in a way that managed to combine menace with
sensuousness. Her sinuous performance was particularly well maintained during a longish musical number.
And so, to Toad. What can one say, except that Sophie Webster played the part for all it was worth, squeezing every last breath of comic vanity from this classic character. Her command of the stage is
astonishing, and the audience was itching to clap every appearance, such was its impact.
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I mentioned good casting: well, how could one better Mike Durham as the policeman, or leuan Thomas as the venerable Badger ("I knew Toad's father you know, and his grandfather, and his uncle, the archdeacon..."). A bewigged Dave
Headey was the perfect chief magistrate, and Reginald and Fiona lovely as daffy 1920s-style lovers. Top marks to young Rory Willett as Portly Otter, and Jemima Headey as Jenny the Policeman's daughter, both of whom turned in
amazingly mature performances.
Barry Willett went for the visual laughs as the busty bargewoman, while Alistair Warner and Nigel Murrin were reasonably well
coordinated as Dobbin. Carole Tappenden gave us a suitably nautical be-blazered Ratty, and Debbie Lock a nice, homely Mrs Otter. And Jo Webster, Mary Green, Ruth Willett, Joan Lee and Helen Barter must have had a lot of fun as
Jenny's aunts, judging by their enthusiastic, bubbly and all-too-short
appearance.
Congratulations, Peter Webster and Helen Barter, for producing and directing a top-class show, and for being ambitious enough to
depart from traditional pantomime. It worked!
I.S
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