The Wind in the Willows
Written by Kenneth Grahame. Adapted by Alan Bennett. Directed by Ed White
15th -18th July 2026, Orchard Dene Garden Theatre, Blewbury.
Evening performances start 8pm with an additional Saturday matinee at 3pm.
Adults £17. Children £9.
Garden gate, exhibition and bar open an hour before evening performances. Audience members are very welcome to bring and enjoy a picnic before the performance starts.
We would also like to draw your attention to our ‘Exhibition of Fifty Years of the Blewbury Players’ at Orchard Dene which will open to audiences before the performances and to the general public on Saturday July 18th between 11.30 - 1pm.
We are currently sold out for all performances. If tickets are returned for resale we shall contact those on our relevant waiting list(s).
You can join the waiting list for any or all performances by following the link below to the box office and selecting the performance(s) you would like to attend. A ‘Join Waitlist’ tab will become visible, enabling you to add your email address.
If you have tickets you need to return please contact the box office at bpboxofficehelp@gmail.com
About the show…
Come and enjoy the exploits and adventures of Toad and his friends Ratty, Mole and Badger. Will his friends be able to steer the motor-car-obsessed Toad away from his reckless behaviour? Can they help him mount a courageous mission to reclaim Toad Hall from the weasels? Alan Bennett’s adaptation is a satirical tale of nature, fun, friendship and loyalty. It’s an adventure which appeals to young and old alike, and Blewbury’s open air garden theatre is the ideal setting.
Director Ed White chose this play because “it feels like Blewbury’s story”. He reflects that the noises, sounds and images, described in the book by Kenneth Grahame, all feel like they could be in this village. He also observes that “The script is wonderfully adapted by Bennett, the characters are immediately recognizable from the book, and we are going to have a lot of fun meeting them and creating their world. When the cast read the script the characters popped off the page. It's going to be joyous”. There are lots of worlds to be created by a large cast of talented actors of all ages; the river bank, the Wild Wood, the open road, Toad Hall and many more. AND we have live musicians and the original songs from the National Theatre production. It’s all going to be a marvelous way of celebrating our 50th anniversary. Do join us...
Here is an interview with our director Ed White talking all things The Wind in the Willows…