THE Club Theatre in Altrincham is establishing a new date in its diary - a family Christmas production.

Their second, Toad of Toad Hall, based on Kenneth Grahame's Wind In The Willows, was well received by the young audience last week.

Despite the somewhat adult dialogue, the catchy incidental music and songs devised by the director Val Harris and John Banks (who played the knowing, practical water rat), were the key to that success. Big kids and little ones loved the tunes.

Through at least nine scene changes, stage managers Paul Walker and Helen Corrie and scenic artist Margaret Norris, succeeded in transporting the audience into the illustrated pages of the original book, from river bank to dungeon.

Toad is intended to be the central figure and David Carlile understood this. From the moment he appeared on stage he entered the slimy skin of the incorrigible reptile. But his performance took an even bigger leap after he sang Poop Poop, a jaunty song about cars which the kids loved and joined in with.

The life and soul of the play and puffed up like all good toads, his self love was evident every time his green face changed expression. And that was often. For his fortunes went up an down like a roller coaster.

Thank goodness for friends like Water Rat, Mole and Badger. John Banks, Alan Lucas and the expertly made up Don Saunders were perfect foils for him.

The almost Gilbertian court scene when Toad got his comeuppance for dangerous driving and erupted to call the judge "fat face", was a masterpiece of farce.

The spectacle of Toad, chased around the auditorium by an assortment of animals and people was a big hit Julia Taylor