There are the actors, who bring the story to life by portraying the characters and their adventures.

Then there is the production team which pulls together the set, the costumes and the lighting to make the story complete.

So, although the actors for Bay Theatre Players’ next production, The Wind In The Willows, are just beginning to rehearse, the production team has been working very hard for quite some time to create the environment of the story’s riverbank and all the costumes that go with it.

Director Sam Lloyd says the set is going up “incredibly fast” thanks to the work of Eric Haslam, with help from Jay Post, Jon Benn, Chris Knight and Andy Pond.

“Sewing bees are ongoing so we are always looking for more help to make hedgehog spikes and bare bunny tails,” she said.

“So, if you want to get out of the house with your sewing machine and become part of the fun among the willows, please phone me on 4472 5984.”

Sam said cast members portraying both bunnies and wild wooders were working hard to reflect their characters’ very different natures and were quite horrified at some of the machinations of the darker side of human and animal nature.

“Needless to say, our audiences will need to keep an eye out in those dark corners of the theatre that the bunnies daren’t go near,” she said.