By Stephen Dubois

The Wind in the Willows at the Shaw Festival makes splendid use of the in-the-round space at the Jackie Maxwell Theatre. Upon entering, there is a striking and detailed painted stage that looks both like a forest floor and an intricate Persian rug. Projections cast from overhead create dappled sunlight, as if penetrating a canopy of summer leaves, while abstract hanging plants descend from above, creating anticipation for what their eventual use might be. The floor features mossy mounds made from thick, fuzzy fabric. There is also some wonderful sound design by Jeff Newberry featuring forest birds and ethereal electronic music, along with additional original music and even songs throughout. Some of the score works better than other parts, but it is nice to see such ambition. The overall effect of Judith Bowden’s set is enchanting.

The direction by Fiona Sauder makes ample use of the rectangular space while providing excellent sightlines from virtually every seat. Your proximity to a particular performer will change depending on where you are sitting, but the staging is carefully choreographed so that the action remains accessible throughout, while abundant extra pieces are moved in from the sides to suggest specific scenic changes. It is a fine use of an often-challenging performance space.

Where the production comes up short for me is in the writing. This adaptation by A.A. Milne fails to find a strong middle ground between something specifically for children and something specifically for adults. Here, where there should have been wit and whimsy, there is often silliness and slapstick aimed at the children, while the dialogue intended for adults can become overly verbose for the little ones. Pixar films, by contrast, as a more modern example, have long demonstrated how to find that elusive balance. I would have had considerably stronger praise for the script had it trusted its young audience a little more and focused on intelligent, genuinely whimsical dialogue that could appeal equally to adults. This is somewhat surprising because the works of A.A. Milne are often deeper philosophically, as his Winnie-the-Pooh books demonstrate.

The plot also feels too basic. The Wind in the Willows original novel was written by Kenneth Grahame with considerable social satire and commentary on Edwardian society, particularly in the adventures of the irrepressible Mr. Toad, and its original context gives much of the story a sharper edge than what we see here. In reshaping the material into a children’s adventure, much of that context seems to have been stripped away in Milne’s adaptation. The result is a story that can occasionally feel as though it is wandering off rather than going somewhere.

The real strength of this production lies in the dedication of its cast. They are completely committed and uniformly strong. Cleverly costumed as forest animals without becoming overly literal, their physicality communicates the movement, trepidation and individual personalities of each creature. While Mr. Toad (Lawrence Libor) could perhaps have hopped a little more, his expressive, over-the-top nature is thoroughly charming.

The production also makes convincing use of forced perspective. In the opening scene, a human girl clumsily leaves behind a teacup, and the transition to Mole (brilliantly performed by Gabriella Sundar Singh) being underneath it is wonderfully executed: the cup has been resized to create the illusion that it is appropriately scaled to her stature.

Sharry Flett, a longtime member of this esteemed ensemble, is clearly having fun as Rat, the pivotal character who creates connections between the various forest creatures. Tuarian Teelucksingh, as the sassy horse Alfred, frequently steals the show and provides some of the production’s biggest comic moments. Shawn Wright’s performance as Badger is strong and articulate, and it is particularly satisfying to watch the character evolve throughout the story. Matt Alfano makes Chief Weasel a suitably believable villain, while the rest of the ensemble rises to the considerable challenge of becoming an entire troupe of animals for the evening (or afternoon.)

Overall, The Wind in the Willows demonstrates The Shaw at its most visually creative, particularly given the limitations—and opportunities—of the open staging. The production is a visual treat, and the cast gives it their all. But while this may indeed be a “wild ride” with Mr. Toad behind the wheel, there are moments when it would have been prudent to stop for directions.

The Jackie Maxwell Theatre is in the same complex as the Festival Theatre and shares the parking lot.  The play closes September 27. Visit The Wind in the Willows – Shaw Festival Theatre for tickets and details.