Spending a couple of hours in the company of Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad was just as enjoyable, gentle and relaxing as lounging on a river bank on a sunny afternoon.

The team from the local theatre group the Service Players brought their version of the classic Wind in the Willows to the Gaiety Theatre, running over last weekend for four shows.

The play was a faithful take of the famed playwright Alan Bennett’s adaption of the much-loved children’s tale, originally written by Kenneth Grahame over 100 years ago, and was by directed by Robin Higgins, The Service Players play featured local stars Simon Fletcher, Gemma Varnom and John Snelling as a group of woodland friends who are forced to put their favourite hobby of floating and picnicing along the river to go to the aid of Toad, played by Chris Caine.

Simon and Gemma, as the hectoring Ratty and the shy and timid Mole, both put in a very Bennett-inspired performance, often coming across like a bickering couple than woodland friends and their restrained friendliness contrasted well with the entrance of the manic Toad, played with scene-stealing verve and a delightful comic energy by Chris, who had kids shouting along with every ’poop poop’ of his car horn.

They were helped along by a myriad of woodland animals, including rabbits and hedgehogs and a family of inquisitive otters, played by Lisa Kreisky and her son Isaac in defeating a dastardly group of sneering weasels, ferrets and stoats, led by Toby Smith, Bob Whitcher, Sharon Walker and Neil King, along with a conniving fox, played by Howard Caine, who captured Toad Hall.

Another hilarious highlight was the morose cart horse, Albert, played by Darren Webb, who thoroughly deserved his ovation.

It was a gratifying sight to see the Gaiety full of a mixed audience of young and old who were clearly enjoying the show as much as each other.

There were enough knowing and wry jokes from Bennett’s respectful script to give the adults a laugh and enough hilarious antics from Toad and the gang to entertain all.

For a show put together on a limited budget, dictated by the times we find ourselves living in, the make-up and wardrobe department deserve top marks for the terrific job they did creating the look of the characters.