A CONTEMPORARY version of a family favourite adapted by a children's author who grew up in Hexham is on stage in London.
Piers Torday, 48, has worked on several stage adaptations.
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His newest adaptation, The Wind in The Wilton's, is a take on Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in The Willows, on stage at Wilton's Music Hall.
The Wind in the Willows is on stage at Hexham's Queen's Hall until December 31.
Growing up, Piers' mother Jane Torday ran a bookshop in Hexham called Toad Hall Books, and inspired his love for The Wind in the Willows by reading it to him.
Wilton's Music Hall is producing and hosting Piers' fourth stage adaptation until December 31.
"Wilton's with its extraordinary history and unique atmospheric backdrop is the most perfect venue to conjure the charm, joy and beauty to bring one of my most favourite books ever, alive on stage.
"A lot of the animals featured in the story like the water vole and the water rat, their numbers have decreased in the UK by 30 per cent and those animals are under threat.
"The production itself is completely sustainable, all the set is natural.
"Although I loved the book, it was a bit old-fashioned. We've kept the spirit and the heart of the story and all the characters people love."
Piers said he wanted the story 'which has so much good about it' to speak to diverse, contemporary children of London today.
"What I love about the story is that it's a story of friendship. These animals who shouldn't really get on because they're all so different - Toad the show-off; Badger who's kind-hearted, but a recluse living in the middle of the woods; and Mole who's very shy and nervous; and Ratty who wants fun but is also conservative and doesn't want anyone to change.
"The story of the Wind in the Willows, if there is one, is about how these friends, despite their differences, end up realising that you love your friends for their faults and almost love them more for their faults in a way.
"After a difficult year and quite a polarised time we wanted to do this story on friendship and people overcoming their differences, in our case to work together to save the riverbank from the evil Weasels who are the villains."
The production has been rated five stars by Plays to See and four stars by The Daily Mail, The Stage and others.
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