On June 17, 2022, The Walpole Players will open its second production of Alan Bennett’s adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, the children’s novel by Kenneth Grahame. Their first production of this play was in 1993 and was not only the US premiere of that show, it was the premiere for the entire Western Hemisphere! At the time, the original production was still on stage at the National Theatre in London and we were not allowed to reference that fact. Directed by Jane Skofield with the assistance of her husband Herman, they spent months retaining the rights to produce the play here after seeing it at the National Theatre during a trip to London.

While it’s the same story, with a slightly shortened script from the original, this year’s production will be different in several ways, from the costumes and set design to the music. However, it is the same charming story with the same delightful characters, and many cast members from the 1993 production are either reprising their original roles or appearing in new ones. And don’t let the term “children’s novel” deceive you into thinking this is a play just for children! Alan Bennett’s script injects plenty of sly jokes for the adults. This is a play for all ages!

We are dedicating our 2022 production to Jane, who not only directed this and other plays in the early days of The Walpole Players, but was instrumental in making the Players a successful organization and a permanent part of our community. We hope Jane would approve of what we’ve done in her honor!

Tickets will go on sale on May 18, and for the first time be available to purchase online through our website, TheWalpolePlayers.org. Tickets will also be available at Galloway Real Estate, Mascoma Bank in Walpole, and at the door. Show dates and times are: Friday, Saturday, and Thursday, June 17, 18, and 23, at 7:00 PM; Sunday, June 19, at 2:00 PM; and Saturday, June 25, at 8:00 PM. Ticket cost is $15 for ages 12 and over, $10 for children under 12.

So mark your calendars now and plan to attend one of our shows the weekend before and during Walpole’s Old Home Days!