Derby-based theatre company Oddsocks returns to its home city with the family favourite The Wind in the Willows which is almost at the end of its latest tour.
Among the cast are some familiar Oddsocks actors. Throwing himself into the character of Toad is Andy McGillan who has been with Oddsocks for eight years.
Two of the cast are from Derby. Joseph Maudsley (Ratty) is a regular with the company. As well as appearing in summer performances in the open air, he played Dr Livesey in Treasure Island in 2013 and Little John in The Adventures of Robin Hood in 2012. Dom Gee-Burch, who has appeared in the last four Oddsocks shows, will play Badger.
Rosamund Hine makes her debut while Oddsocks founder and producer Elli Mackenzie is returning to the stage to play Mole.
She said, “I’ve been the producer since we started the company and I’ve really been focusing on that. We’ve been growing our company over the last two or three years and I’ve been steering that from behind a desk.
“So it’s quite a culture change to suddenly get out of a skirt, put on a furry onesie and run around playing ukulele and making people laugh.”
Elli and her husband Andy Barrow, who has adapted Kenneth Grahame’s original work, formed Oddsocks 25 years ago.
The Wind in the Willows will be performed at Derby’s Guildhall Theatre from Tuesday until Saturday (27 to 31 January).