ESCHEWING fairytales or other such fare, Firefly Theatre School instead took on the classic tale of Messrs Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger and the tales of the riverbank for their Christmas show.

The Winchester College theatre was an ideal space for staging this and the production made good use of the auditorium for dramatic entrances and for a memorable chase scene.

Working against a blank screen, the show nevertheless had some nifty props, not least the beautiful red car crafted by Joe Cunio. While there were a certain amount of nerves on display, with forgotten or rushed lines, the cast threw themselves into the whole process with great enthusiasm and enjoyment.

There were engaging central performances. Alice Gibson hit just the right tone for Mr Toad; Marli Prosser was a droll, pompous and good-hearted Badger; Joanna Almedia gave Mole a charming doleful quality; while Aimee Eagle was perfect as Ratty.

KAREN ROBSON