YEP's Wind in the Willows

If you're still not up to speed on YEP, you're missing out on one of the most inventive and most vibrant theatre companies in the city (or anywhere else). The snappier name for Young Everyman and Playhouse - which now incorporates young actors, writers, directors, technicians, a comms team, you name it - has staged a range of weird and wonderful productions over the last 18 months and their latest could be the biggest and best yet. YEP have been let loose on Croxteth Hall, where they will be staging promenade performances of their take on Wind in the Willows from July 26 to 28. This new version of the story has been adapted by James Phillips, with  roles reversed to bring the play into the 21st Century. While the much-loved characters of Toad, Badger, Ratty and Mole remain, this contemporary vision incorporates themes of social class, hierarchy and a struggle for power as the Weasels rise up. But who will be victorious? Following in the footsteps of Papertown at Camp and Furnace, The Wind in the Willows will be YEP’s second production of the year, having previously taken on large-scale warehouse productions and promenade pieces such as You Are Being Watched and Excuse Me?. YEP member Lewis Bray said: “The play is an exciting opportunity as it has really stretched us as actors. It has allowed us to play in promenade which is also challenging the way we think about playing the characters and I cannot wait to transform the grounds of Croxteth Hall in to the wild world of The Wind in the Willows.” The production is directed by Chris Tomlinson, associate director of Young Everyman Playhouse, whose previous credits include the quietly brilliant Next! at the Unity, as well as Frankenstein and Monkey for the Everyman Youth Theatre. For more on the show, follow the Twitter hashtag #GoWeasels and keep an look out for this eye-catching YouTube trailer, of which I'm told more are to follow...