A performer in a yellow patterned dress spins through low haze with arms lifted on the open stage.

Racks Close, Guildford2022

The Wind in the Willows

The Production

Guildford School of Acting’s 2022 outdoor production of The Wind in the Willows brought Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad to Racks Close in Guildford. Staged in the open air, the production used the woodland setting to frame Kenneth Grahame’s riverside adventure.

49 photographs in the curated edit

Director: Jenny Sawyer
Lighting Design: Chris Wilson
Sound Design: Chris Whybrow
Commissioned by: Guildford School of Acting
Photography: Steve Gregson

A very wide view shows performers spread across the woodland stage, emphasizing the scale of the set and surrounding trees.

A row of performers in blue caps sing from behind a green barrier, with musicians visible in the darker background.

A black-clad performer with round glasses stands centre stage in front of a busy woodland set and surrounding cast.

Six performers in caps and dungarees lean in a synchronized diagonal line across the stage.

Three performers sit and stand around a picnic blanket on the woodland stage, creating a quiet conversational grouping.

Two performers in white costumes jump simultaneously in front of the corrugated set wall.

Two performers sit in a small bathtub decorated with bunting, surrounded by greenery.

A lively group rides or gathers around a small yellow vehicle, with surprised expressions against the rusty set structure.

Four performers in hard hats and fluorescent vests cluster at the front of the stage with comic urgency.

An ensemble kneels and gestures around a central performer in a green checked suit on the open stage.

A dense ensemble reaches inward toward a central performer in a green checked suit, creating a whirl of arms and costumes.

Performers in blue dresses lead a smiling ensemble forward in a bright group formation.

Four performers in dark hats and brown trousers kick and lean in a sharply timed line.

A black-clad performer watches as a group in brown costumes tumbles and balances across the stage.

Two performers lean over a wooden rail in the greenery, one in black and one in a pale cap and fur-textured costume.

A solitary blue-green figure stands framed by the corrugated opening and foliage on the otherwise open stage.

Two performers in dark coats huddle beside a stone staircase, one speaking animatedly toward the other.

A performer in a green checked suit sits beside a bed and ornate gate, lit clearly against the stage set.

A green-faced performer reclines behind an ornate gate while a black-clad performer stands watchfully beside them.

A performer in a green checked suit leaps from a bed with arms spread, framed by the rustic set.

A large ensemble fills the rustic outdoor stage around a corrugated shed-like structure, with one performer posed on front steps.

Two white-clad performers leap with arms outstretched while the ensemble frames them across the stage.

A large cast forms a celebratory pyramid-like tableau beneath the raised wooden walkway.

Animal-costumed performers in brown and black dance across the stage, with one small figure perched above the set.

An ensemble in brown and purple-toned costumes crouches and poses together beneath the raised walkway.

A performer balances upside down on a table while others crouch and watch from either side.

A green-faced performer and a woman in a floral apron sit together on the ground beside an ornate gate.

A green-faced performer in a white coat opens their arms while a woman in a floral apron looks away beside the gate.

A black-clad performer with round glasses sits alone near stacked sticks and cases, smiling into the light.

A row of performers in pale pink animal-ear hats look out over a wooden bridge above the stage.

Two performers in caps and dungarees kick high in unison through low stage smoke.

A group in animal-ear costumes cluster on steps and platforms while two seated figures occupy the lower stage.

A performer sits slumped in a brightly painted booth or carriage, singing or calling out with one arm braced.

Three performers stand together near the ornate gate, with the central figure in a dark coat between two brighter costumes.

A performer stands on a table with one arm raised while a crowd in brown costumes gathers tightly around below.

A seated and kneeling ensemble in brown costumes cheers forward with raised bottles and hats.

Two groups face off across the stage, one side holding props as if in a tense confrontation.

A performer in a yellow-green suit leaps high beside a table while others look on from the stage.

Five performers gather closely near an ornate gate, listening to a man in a cap at centre.

A performer sits in a small bunting-trimmed boat while a black-clad figure leans toward them in the greenery.

A two-level stage view shows musicians below and performers above, with a small boat scene at the front.

Performers in animal costumes line an upper platform above visible stage lights, surrounded by green trees.

A performer in a bright blue dress gestures from a raised walkway amid dense green foliage.

Three performers in pale pink animal-ear hats stand close together behind a rail, watching intently.

A large ensemble gathers in a full-stage tableau, with performers arranged across multiple levels of the woodland set.

A seated performer is surrounded by a group in brown costumes and yellow lighting accents in a formal stage tableau.

A performer in a green checked suit stands on a small scooter-like prop with arms extended on the stage.

The full cast stands across the width of the outdoor stage with arms raised in a final ensemble pose.

Continue exploring

Attempts on Her Life

Bellairs Theatre, Ivy Arts Centre, Guildford2022

Explore drama school photography