The Wind in the Willows Queen’s Hall

Premiere – 13th December 2022

A new retelling of family favourite, The Wind in the Willows will premiere in Hexham this Christmas. Olivier Award-winning Director Damian Cruden (The Railway Children/York Theatre Royal), an ensemble of 24 young people will perform alongside a cast of actor-musicians to bring Mike Kenny’s adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s much loved classic to the main stage at the Queen’s Hall.

The cast are Alicia Arkless (A Viking Christmas/Queen’s Hall Arts & Alnwick Playhouse), Jack Blakey (The Jungle Book/Kew Gardens), Adam Donaldson (The Southern Side of the Wall/Live Theatre), Judy Earle (Key Change/Open Clasp), Ru Hamilton (Treasure Island/Birmingham Rep), Mark Hawkins (The Railway Children/Kings Cross Theatre), Loren O’Dair (The Tempest/Pleasance Theatre), and Katie Tranter (The Adventures of Rabbit/Théâtre Sans Frontières).

Music is by Christopher Madin who has written more than than 150 original scores for theatre, film, TV and radio, and completing the creative team, Olivier Award-winning Director Damian Cruden is joined by Young People’s Ensemble Director Susan Betts, Designer Sara Perks(Around the World in 80 Days/York Theatre Royal), Lighting Designer Drummond Orr (Educating Rita/UK tour), Sound Designer Andrew Mounsey (Alnwick International Music Festival) and Fight Director Jonathan Holby (The Duchess of Malfi/Almeida Theatre).