INTERVIEW By Hilary Porter

COMEDIAN, TV presenter and actor Rufus Hound, last seen in the West End in the U.K. premiere of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, is starring as Toad in a new musical adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows that plays Southampton next month.

The show features a book by Julian Fellowes (creator of TV's Downton Abbey and the books for the musical versions of Mary Poppins and School of Rock) and music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe (Mary Poppins).

It received its world premiere at Plymouth's Theatre Royal October 8-22, prior to runs at Salford's The Lowry (October 26-November 6) and Southampton's Mayflower (November 10-20). It is intended that the show will transfer to the West End thereafter.

Produced by Jamie Hendry and MJE Productions, the cast also features Fra Fee as Mole, Thomas Howes as Ratty, Neil McDermott as Chief Weasel and Sophia Nomvete as Mrs. Otter.

Rufus Hound could not have been more enthused by the new venture when the Daily Echo caught up with him in rehearsals:

"I did a play two years ago about Utopia where the piece discovered that as long as people want the same things and are aiming the same way and creating the same energy you don't get more Utopian than that. And that description can be used for new theatre.

"I have high hopes for this production. I always loved the book and it was very special to me. What's thrilling and terrifying is the number of people who have been falling over themselves to say how important it's been to them too and they want to bring their kids to it. It's a big responsibility to get it right and it's important to me and thrilling because it feels like we are going to get there. It feels like a faithful, warm, pleasurable, exciting, harmonious production. It doesn't feel like work. As they say 'If you do a job you love you will never do a day's work' !"

Rufus is particularly enjoying working on the stage:

" It's the thing I always wanted to do from the age of two! I grew up watching The Muppets and I thought I want to be on the Muppet Show. When I was older at sixth form college I was told by a careers advisor I could probably get to drama school but it was hugely expensive and and most drama students - about 80 per cent, won't get jobs. So I thought well I could just go and work at the pub and not worry about all that. Working at the pub led me to watching lots of stand up comedy and I thought I could do that! And after doing the comedy people said to me why not try acting.

"I would have loved to have had three years learning some of the skills and theories of acting but the most important thing is to be comfortable in your own skin which stand up teaches you. I don't regret the position I'm in now or wish I'd come into it by another route.

"All the creative arts today have become rarefied for the middle classes.You can only go to London to study if Mummy and Daddy can afford it until you get a job."

So what is it like to play the character of Toad?

"It's a real joy. I grew up on the story and listened to the tapes read by Kenneth Williams as I went to bed. I heard him thousands of times between the ages of eight and 11. I loved it and grew up on it- it's part of my cultural fabric, so playing the character it feels like everyone has their opinion of what he's like . I want to represent that; I can't do it entirely different . He's representative of Joie de Vivre anarchy so I must make sure he has that spirit. He is so vain and self- possessed but underneath he's a pretty good egg. "

Is the role physically demanding?

" It's a musical so yes. There's a big chase sequence but a few of the jobs I've done before have been physically demanding - I've done things that are more physically demanding."

So what is the biggest challenge of the role?

"Are you telling the story eloquently and with the show that we've got and the direction it's taken and the songs we' re singing it feels we are in an incredibly good place.

By and large when people hear it's on they remember it being read to them or having it given to them by their parents. It's passed from generation to generation. They think who shall I take- what kids. It's part of keeping it all going. I feel as enthralled, pleased and satisfied as I could possibly feel."

How was the transition from comedy to this?

" Easy, yes. To earn a living telling jokes is mostly about timing and with theatre it's about timing too. That's what stand up gives you - the confidence to stand up on stage and entertain a room of this size. And there are ridiculously talented people behind you and in front of you, leaping, singing, fighting, etc and it's not all on your own shoulders . It means it's not just you after the show, in your dressing room waiting for the adrenaline to wear off thinking what do you do when you have that high. It's so much better for your soul to work with a large group of people."

The show is only touring to three venues, including the Mayflower, but it seems to have its sights firmly on the West End after that.

" It has an enormous set, a huge cast, a massive orchestra and it's about to become a very big deal elsewhere so you could do worse than go to see it in Southampton ! "

The Wind in the Willows plays Southampton's Mayflower Theatre from Thursday November 10 to Sunday November 20.

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