Wind in the Willows, Mercury Theatre, Colchester. Until August 21. 01206 573948.

AFTER last year’s triumphant inaugural family summer show, James and the Giant Peach, much expectation has been heaped on this year’s offering from the Mercury Theatre.

Well I’m pleased to say they needn’t have worried because Wind in the Willows has all the magic of last year’s and perhaps just a little bit more.

Taking Kenneth Grahame’s whimsical, classic gentle tale of Rat, Mole, Badger and Toad, director Matt Culham, the man also behind Peach, serves up a pretty pacey production packed with laughs, wonderful musical numbers and a set that is almost as visually stunning as that Peach.

Running fairly true to the original story, Toad, another brilliant performance by Dale Superville, is a livewire dandy who falls foul of the law when his new obsession, a motor car, gets him into trouble.

Despite help from friends Ratty, the incredibly versatile Pete Ashmore, Badger, a lovely performance by Kate Adams, and an absolutely adorable Mole played by Sam Pay, he finds himself in jail and Toad Hall in the hands of the mischievous and slightly menacing Wild Wooder (Christopher Hogben).

A story of friendship, home and community, there are some lovely touches such as Ratty’s suitcase boat and Toad’s scaffolding caravan, and brilliant set-pieces like the court scene with Simon Spencer-Hyde’s larger than life judge, and pretty much whenever Louisa Beadel’s heart-warming maid, Enid was on the stage.

But what really made this production something quite special was the music, composed by the brilliant Rebecca Applin and performed by the cast of actor musicians led by musical director Barnaby Southgate. A mix of bluegrass, folk and jazz it powered the story along and kept us in the audience tapping our toes throughout.

With two top draw summer specials in the bag already, I for one cannot wait for the Mercury to complete the hat-trick.

NEIL D’ARCY-JONES