SLT Brings The Wind in the Willows to the Norfolk and Norwich Festival 2026

A family favourite rural romp is being given a modern twist and shift of setting to the north Norfolk coast.

The Wind in the Willows is being adapted from the original 1908 children’s story set around the riverbanks near Toad Hall to an outdoor drama performed in the grounds of Sheringham Hall.

It will see Mr Toad trying to sell off his hall and land to property developer weasels who want to turn it into a second home holiday resort for the rich.

Anxious Mole is making a rare venture outside as Ratty shows him the beauty of the countryside, and pushy Badger flags up the plans at the hall which puts the animals’ homeland habitat at risk. The stage is set for the friends to take action to save the day.

The shows, over the weekend of May 16 and 17 at 2pm and 5pm both days, explore the power of community and the importance of preserving nature.

The project, has been commissioned jointly by Sheringham Little Theatre and the Norfolk and Norwich Festival and has been written by playwright James McDermott who used to live in North Norfolk and knows the hall setting well.

He explained: “I have always wanted to adapt The Wind in the Willows to set it in Norfolk in the modern day.

“The characters, like people in Norfolk, struggle with being in a place that both does and doesn’t want to change. Everyone loves animals and pets, but I love these characters because they are so clumsy, messy, and make mistakes which makes them human and relatable.

“The original story is about Toad stealing a car and going to prison, but this this version is a metaphor for the gentrification of rural Norfolk.”

Four professional actors will play the parts of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad. They will be boosted by a community chorus of all ages playing a variety of animals, including the weasels, and protestors – with auditions being held next weekend (Saturday March 7).

The audience will follow the cast as the action moves around the grounds of Sheringham Hall. The director will be Scott Le Crass, from London who has worked with James on a previous production called Jab, a black comedy set during Covid.

Little Theatre director Debbie Thompson said: “Wind in the Willows is one of my favourite stories and I am really excited about this project which brings another ‘promenade play’ by James to the Sheringham area, with community members joining the professional cast making it extra special.”

James, from NR2 in Norwich, previously lived near Holt and Weybourne and is a creative writing lecturer at the University of East Anglia. He has previously written five episodes of EastEnders, and penned a new work It Comes in Waves – set in a grief café in Lowestoft – being toured by the Eastern Angles theatre company this summer. He was also recently made an associate artist at the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich where he will be working on shows for larger casts and stages.

Tickets for the promenade show are adults £15, u-16s £10, family £45 can be bought here.

*Auditions for the community ensemble will take place on Saturday March 7 at Sheringham Little Theatre. Email boxoffice@sheringhamlittletheatre.com for more information and to book your audition slot.