Page 1 Polka Theatre 240 Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1SB

+44 (0)20 8543 4888 www.polkatheatre.com

Polka is a registered charity no. 256979, company no. 938592, VAT no. 238 9709 18

Picture information strip:

The Wind in the Willows

Relaxed Performance Pack

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To prepare you for your visit to Polka we have put together a synopsis, this is to help you understand the story that you are about to see and to know what to expect during the performance. We have adapted the show slightly by having fewer people watching and you can also choose which seat you sit in. We have lowered the sound and lighting levels and throughout the performance the auditorium will have the main lights dimmed instead of being in complete darkness. There is also a designated ‘chill out area’ outside the auditorium that can be used at any time throughout the show. This is a picture of the main theatre You can choose which seat you would like to sit in.

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This is a picture of the Chill-Out Area. This is outside the main theatre upstairs. You can leave the theatre at any time and come back in when you are ready. There is a television monitor that is showing what is happening on the stage. This is a picture of the Exhibition Area or Foyer There are rocking horses, a dressing up box and a colouring in area. This is a picture of the shop in the Exhibition Area or Foyer

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The Wind in the Willows This is a fantastic play and there is lots of music. Sometimes children don’t like noises. If you don’t like noises we can help you. There is a symbol in the pack telling you when there will be a noise so you can put your fingers in your ears or use your ear defenders and still enjoy the fun! There are six actors in this show, they are pretending to be animals. Two of those actors will play more than one role, they do this by putting on different costumes and masks. You can see what the actors look like in this pack. The show is in two halves with a fifteen minute break in the middle. During the break the characters will be moving within the auditorium and speak directly to the audience. Please feel free to speak to the actors when they do this. There will also be some pretend snow at the end of the show.

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This is what the actors look like and the characters they are playing. Mole

Ratty

Badger

Toad

Rabbit / Weasel / French Rat

Rabbit / Weasel / Squirrel

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Scene 1

This is what the stage will look

like when you come into the

theatre. There is a white sheet

over the center of the stage to

make it look like snow

As the show starts, the actors

sing a song and enter from the

back of the auditorium.

Scene 2 Mole emerges from her burrow, and from exploring the area around her mole hill. Mole discovers the river and on the river she meets Ratty.

Scene 3 Ratty takes Toad on a tour of the

river bank.

They meet lots of other animals

including Swallows, Rabbits,

Badger and finally Toad appears

in his motor boat.

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Scene 4

Ratty takes Mole to see Toad at

Toad hall.

Scene 5

Toad takes Mole and Ratty for a

ride in his caravan which is pulled

by a Weasel.

They stray onto a human road and

Toad sees a motor car. He decides

that is what he wants to drive!

Scene 6

Mole sings a song about his lovely

motor car. He comes on and off

the stage, each time he comes on

with another piece of driving

clothing on.

Each time he goes off there is the

sound effect of a car crashing.

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Scene 7

Mole hears a funny sound and is

drawn into the wild wood. Ratty

finds her and they run to Badgers

home.

The wild creatures are masks and

puppets of heads of Weasels.

Their eyes light up.

Scene 8

Mole, Badger and Ratty sit in

Badgers home talking about Toad.

They decide he has gone too far

with his cars and decide to stop

him driving.

Scene 9

Toad wants to drive his new car.

Ratty, Mole and Badger steal his

battery to keep him from driving

it.

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The actors will run around the

auditorium with the battery. If

you would like, you can touch the

battery.

Toad is sneaky and has a second

battery hidden.

Scene 10

Toad drives his car, he get

spotted by a human. Then he

gets caught by the human in an

upturned jam jar.

Interval

There is now going to be a fifteen minute break. There will be an announcement in the Café

and Foyer before the second half starts.

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Second Half

Scene 11

Toad is still stuck in the jar. He is

very unhappy. Then a child comes

onto the stage and speaks to Toad

and lets him go free.

Scene 12

There is a strange wind in the

willows. Toad is cold as he tries to

find his way home, the trees sway

in the wind.

Scene 13

Ratty is wondering what life is

like in the Wide World, he

meets a squirrel and ask them

what they know of the Wide

World. The squirrel is only

interested in hiding its very

large nut.

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Scene 14

Ratty meets a French Rat. This rat

speaks with a French accent.

They sing a song together about

exploring the wide world.

Scene 15

Mole finds Ratty and manages to

convince Ratty to let go of his

boat.

As they walk along the river bank

they find Mole’s home.

They hear a banging on the door

and discover it’s Toad!

Scene 16

Toad tells Mole and Ratty all

about his escape. They decide to

go and see Badger.

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Scene 17 Badger talks Toad into his plan for

getting Toad Hall back from the

creatures of the Wild Wood.

Scene 18

Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger

have a fight with the Weasels to

get them out of Toad Hall.

This is pretend fighting and all the

actors have practiced it lots so

they don’t hurt each other.

Scene 20

Toad is telling untrue stories

again and boasting that he is like a

human.

There is a loud sound effect and

Badger, Mole and Ratty finally

convince Toad to tell the truth

and be happy being a toad.

THE END