If you’re looking for something to do with the young people in your life, you might well want to consider some immersive theatre. It is a sure-fire way to keep them engaged and enjoying what it is that is taking place, with this summer’s offering from Immersion Theatre being their version of Wind in the Willows.
You can head along and enjoy the adventure with Ratty, Badger, Mole and the always irrepressible Toad as they head on an adventure at Hatchlands Park. The story is one in which the gang try to save Toad Hall from the naughty weasels, being suitable for the whole family.
The Story of Wind in the Willows
For most people, the tale of The Wind in the Willows is one that they will know inside out. The children’s novel was written by Kenneth Grahame and published for the first time back in 1908. As Mr. Toad becomes obsessed with motorcars, he is helped by his friends Mole, Ratty and Badger as he gets himself into trouble time and time again. The main narrative takes centre stage, but there are also short stories that take place as offshoots from it. The book itself was based on short stories that Grahame told to his son, Alastair, when he was going to bed.
When the novel was first released, it actually received negative reviews initially. It is only in the years since that it has gone on to be considered as a literary classic, being listed 16th in The Big Read survey carried out by the BBC. In 2010, a first edition of the book sold for £32,400 at auction, which was about ten times more than expected. It has been adapted countless times, with numerous different media attempts to take on the story or a variation thereof. Toad of Toad Hall was the first adaptation for stage, written by A. A. Milne in 1929, then Wind in the Willows was a musical release in 1985.
Immersion Theatre
Immersion Theatre has now been around for a decade and a half, having been established in the June of 2010. It was producers and alumni of Stage One that decided to create the company, with James Tobias and Rochelle Parry leading all of the company’s output. Initially, the group moved to put on a series of dramas that were seen as unflinching and unapologetic. They were performed in numerous off-West End venues, allowing for the distinctive concepts and re-workings of classic texts soon began to earn the company a reputation as being one of the country’s most innovative theatre offerings.
Over the years that followed, Immersive Theatre began to gain a following of loyal supporters, which was followed by critical acclaim. The quality of work offered led to an expansion of the company’s offering, venturing out into the world of family-friendly theatre and pantomime. All of the work is now produced in-house, allowing the group to come up with highly interactive and story-driven shows that families love. The aim is to produce exceptional theatre of the highest calibre, which Guildford is lucky to be on the list of venues that the company heads to to perform.
What You Need to Know
If all of that sounds like just your cup of tea, you need to make sure that you get a ticket for yourself and everyone in your party for the performance that will be taking place at Hatchlands Park in Guildford on Sunday, August 24th 2025. It gets underway at 6pm, coming to a close around two hours later. Tickets are sold directly by Immersion Theatre, so you can get in touch with them to pick up your tickets, arriving at the Visitor Reception of Hatchlands Park to present your ticket and gain entrance to the area that the show is being performed. It is suitable for those aged four and over.
The doors of the venue open at 5.30pm, whilst the show itself is being put on on the west lawn of the National Trust house in the Park. It is, of course, an outdoor event, so it is recommended that you take a look at what the weather is doing and then dress appropriately. You should also bear in mind that the English weather is forever changeable! If you want to take along your own lawn chairs and a picnic then you’re welcome to do so. The west lawn as well as the garden area are both fully accessible to wheelchair users, whilst a 20-minute interval is included in the show’s running time.
About Hatchlands Park
If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to head along to see the performance of Wind in the Willows by Immersion Theatre, you might want to bear in mind that it is taking place in Hatchlands Park. This venue in Guildford has been a Grade I listed building since 1967, whilst the attached gardens were made Grade II listed in 2007. The park itself was initially part of Chertsey Abbey, then in 1544, in the wake of the dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII granted it to Anthony Browne and Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald, his wife. Later, it was purchased by Edward Boscawen.
The park changed hands numerous times in the years that followed before eventually being given to the National Trust in 1945 by Harry Stuart Goodhart-Rendel. The house that is located within the park is open to the public, apart from on certain days of the week when it is closed. The parkland is open 363 days of the year, with a café and shop on-site. This is something that you will get to at least have a look at if you decide to attend the performance of Wind in the Willows, thanks to the fact that the performance is taking place in the grounds there.