Wossname -- June 2017 -- Main issue

[News and reviews about the works of Sir Terry Pratchett]

Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
June 2017 (Volume 20, Issue 6, Post 1)

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WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other 
stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works of Sir Terry Pratchett. 
Originally founded by the late, great Joe Schaumburger for members of 
the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the 
North American Discworld Society and other continental groups, Wossname 
is now for Discworld and Pratchett fans everywhere in Roundworld.
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Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Mss C, Alison not 
Aliss
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancers: Jason Parlevliet, Archchancellor Neil, DJ Helpful
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
Puzzle Editor: Tiff (still out there somewhere)
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
Emergency Staff: Steven D'Aprano, Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)

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INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) ODDS AND SODS
04) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
08) ROUNDWORLD TALES
09) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
10) CLOSE

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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"People have a tendency to take libraries for granted. I don't think we 
can take libraries for granted, because there's a certain section of 
society that seems hell-bent on eliminating them. I can't work out why 
they'd want to eliminate them, except that they're just nasty people, 
and shouldn't."
– much-loved author – and major Pratchett fan – Ben Aaronovitch

"I can't read any of his novels until I have finished my own. I would 
hate to find that someone else had already had one of my ideas first, 
and I would not want to be influenced by someone else's writing. But it 
is something to look forward to reading."
– another much-loved author, the now rather well-known JK Rowling, 
interviewed by The Bookseller in 1997

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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

There is much kerfuffle (and fooferaw, and doo-dah, and hullabaloo, and 
isn't our language wonderfully daft!) in the Press and on the internet 
at the moment about a certain twentieth anniversary. Yes, that one. The 
Harry Potter series, for anyone who's been living in that place in Slice 
where the sun doesn't shine. So why am I leading this month's editorial 
with a mention of a book series that has nothing to do with Discworld? 
Easy: because there has also been a lot of Discworld-versus-Potterverse 
kerfuffle, fooferaw and the rest sailing back and forth across the 
Clacks for years now, and I have never understood it. See, back in the 
ancient twentieth-century days of the original Bands With Rocks In, 
there was a similar blather between fans of the Beatles and fans of the 
Rolling Stones, and it made no more sense to me then than 
Discworld-versus-Potterverse does in this century – especially the "if 
you love one of these then you can't possibly love the other" part. How 
ridiculous to think that one can't love both! Or indeed, that one can 
dislike both, or be less than enamoured of one for reasons that have 
nowt to do with t'other. So I hope that all Discworld fans and all Harry 
Potter fans can put aside any differences and celebrate this 
anniversary, because between them Sir Pterry and Ms Rowling CH (and how 
is it that she's not been made a Dame yet?) have done more to advance 
the cause of youth literacy – and all-ages joy! – than just about anyone 
else on the planet. Raise your glasses high!

Earlier this month, final year students from the University of 
Huddersfield's Costume with Textiles BA Hons degree course put on their 
yearly Costume Graduate Degree Show. This year's exhibition included 
costumes for "characters from books by Roald Dahl and Terry Pratchett 
and Edgar Allan Poe". How gratifying is it to see the name of Pratchett 
bookended by two of the (other) most famous writers of the past few 
centuries, with the assumption that everyone will recognise all three 
names equally well! And if you'd like to see the quality of the 
students' creations, there are some photos of last year's exhibition 
here: http://bit.ly/2sLNlX5

A bit of a mystery... Unseen Theatre's next Discworld production, coming 
in October, will be an action replay of one they've performed before... 
but which one? See if you can guess from this image of the production's 
first time around: http://bit.ly/2sgYhbB

Right, on with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) ODDS AND SODS

3.1 BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS

It's come to my attention that we've been a bit lax in passing along 
information about new releases. Of course there are no *new* Pratchett 
books as such, but even those of us who have the entire Pratchett oeuvre 
already in various forms might want to update or replace old volumes, 
and of course almost everyone has friends and family who might be 
lacking a Discworld book or three... I know that in our household we 
have gradually been replacing our old falling-to-pieces Discworld 
paperbacks with the beautiful new hardcover releases...

Here be a list of much of what is now available:

"Gift Edition" hardcovers of all the Tiffany Aching books, featuring 
exquisite new Paul Kidby cover art
"Collector's Library Edition" hardcovers of The Truth, The Fifth 
Elephant, Carpe Jugulum and The Last Continent,
"Deluxe Edition" limited edition hardcover of The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner
The Terry Pratchett Diary (perpetual, so good for any year)
The Discworld Colouring Book Artist's Edition
A new cover edition of The Carpet People
A new cover edition of Raising Steam
A new omnibus edition of The Colour of Magic/The Light Fantastic
...and there's even The Little Black Book from the Pterry Memorial, a 
new edition of the Discworld Roleplaying Game, the soon-to-be-released 
2018 Discworld Calendar,
and the Ankh-Morpork Post Office Notebook.

There is a choice of three main online sources for these, if your local 
bricks-and-mortar bookseller lets you down:

http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/
https://www.discworldemporium.com/19-new-books
http://discworld.com/products/books/

3.2  REMINDER: THE TERRY PRATCHETT "HISWORLD" EXHIBITION

September is getting closer... here be the item as originally posted in 
the February issue!

A four-month exhibition on the works and life of Sir Terry Pratchett 
opens at the Salisbury Museum this coming September: "The Salisbury 
Museum, The Estate of Terry Pratchett and Paul Kidby present 'Terry 
Pratchett: HisWorld', an exclusive major exhibition based on the 
extraordinary life of Sir Terry Pratchett, the creative genius behind 
the Discworld series. Follow his journey to becoming one of our best 
known and best loved writers. This unique exhibition will include 
artwork by the man himself and treasured items owned by Sir Terry which 
have never previously been on public display. Also featured will be over 
forty original illustrations by Paul Kidby, Sir Terry's artist of choice."

When: 16th September 2017 to 13th January 2018
Venue: Salisbury Museum, The King's House, 65 The Close, Salisbury, 
Wilts SP1 2EN (phone 01722 332151, email museum at salisburymuseum.org.uk)
Time: opening times are Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 17:00, Sundays (9 
April - 29 October) 12:00 to 17:00. "Please note that our cafe is closed 
on Sundays."
Tickets: Adult £8, child £4, family (2 adults/4 children) £20, under-5s 
free. "Please note that all tickets issued by the museum are ANNUAL 
PASSES and are valid for one year. This is a condition of participating 
in the Gift Aid scheme and is offered regardless of whether you opt for 
the standard or donation admission."

http://www.salisburymuseum.org.uk/your-visit/prices

Tickets are also available online from 
http://salisbury.merlintickets.co.uk/product/ADME

http://discworld.com/terry-pratchett-exhibition-announced-salisbury/
http://pratchetthisworld.com

3.3  PAUL KIDBY'S TOWER OF ART CAPTURES THE CASTLE:

The Southampton City Art Gallery has a very special exhibition, and the 
Tower of Art is in it:

"This is the first ever large-scale art exhibition on the subject of 
British castles. Everyone loves a castle: the first sight of a great 
mediaeval castle such as Conwy, Harlech or Dover can be a spine-tingling 
moment, they have an exceptional visual wow factor. Steeped in history 
and legend, these extraordinary buildings exude a powerful and brooding 
presence. They conjure knights in shining armour, derring-do, evil deeds 
and deep dungeons, high adventure and royal intrigue. Turner and 
Constable, Girtin, Cotman, Ibbetson, Sandby, Varley and many others 
travelled to castles throughout Britain in the search of the 
Picturesque. Castles, often sited in spectacular locations, were the 
perfect subject for the Romantic movement of the early 19th century that 
embraced the heroic past. The Gothic Revival was to spawn a new wave of 
castle building. Showcasing the finest historic and contemporary castle 
artists and combining history with art, this exhibition conjures the 
mystique, excitement and prestige of the castle from Iron Age hill forts 
to Victorian reproductions and fantasy castles. It will include famous 
and rarely seen works from public and private collections, including 
loans from Tate, The British Museum, the V&A, the Government Art 
Collection and from the collections of major artists. The exhibition 
will include a fully illustrated catalogue, which has been generously 
sponsored by the Punter Southall Group."

When: currently running, through  2nd September 2017
Venue: Southampton City Art Gallery, Commercial Road, Southampton SO14 
7LP – 5 minutes' walk from Southampton Central Station – phone: 023 8083 
3007 (option 3)
Time: Mon to Fri: 10am-3pm,
Sat: 10am - 5pm, Sun: Closed
Tickets: free admission to all exhibitions

Paul Kidby says, "I am delighted and honoured be included in such a 
prestigious collection."

https://www.southamptoncityartgallery.com/whats-on/capture-the-castle/

http://www.paulkidby.com/event/capture-the-castle/


3.4 THE LIBRARIAN WOULD APPROVE

It seems criminal to throw books away, but some people do exactly that. 
Luckily, at least one Roundworld hero does something about it. From the BBC:

"A dustbin man in Bogota in Colombia, who never studied further than 
primary school, has gathered a library of more than 20,000 thrown away 
books. The collection began 20 years ago, when Jose Alberto Gutierrez 
fished out a discarded copy of Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina. He now 
offers his books to other people as a free community library. "I 
realised that people were throwing books away in the rubbish. I started 
to rescue them," he said. Mr Gutierrez, who has gained the nickname The 
Lord of the Books, began collecting books that had been dumped in the 
waste bins in wealthier parts of the city. He would take them out of the 
rubbish and retrieve them for families in poorer areas. His collection 
of chucked away books is now used by families wanting to help their 
children with their homework, in a free library called the Strength of 
Words. 'There was a lack of them in our neighbourhood, so we started to 
help,' said Mr Gutierrez..."

http://www.bbc.com/news/education-40173423

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04) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

4.1 AUSDWCON 2017 NEWS

Nullus Anxietas VI (The Discworld Grand Tour) is completely sold out 
now, but there is still a waiting list in case some ticketholders have 
to drop out:

http://ausdwcon.org/shop/waiting-list/

Also worth noting: Adelaide's Roundworld-famous Unseen Theatre Company 
will be presenting a 'moved reading' (script in hand) performance of 
"The Trial" for the Discworld Convention on Sunday 6th August.

4.2 NADWCON 2017 NEWS

The ever excellent Emily Whitten's new infopost:

Welcome to the NADWCon blog, where we will endeavor to bring you 
informative and entertaining missives as we advance rapidly towards the 
2017 NADWCon, to be held September 1-4 in historic New Orleans, 
Louisiana. As a co-founder of the NADWCon, I'm really excited to be 
working on yet another wonderful fan celebration of Sir Terry's works – 
and as incredibly sad as I am that Terry is no longer with us in the 
Roundworld, I am glad that we will have an opportunity to further honor 
him at our con this Labor Day Weekend. And in such a setting, too! New 
Orleans has been called many things – The Big Easy, The Crescent City, 
the Birthplace of Jazz, the Mardi Gras City, and, of course, the modern 
portmanteau of New Orleans and Louisiana, NOLA.; but for Discworldians, 
the most important name for New Orleans is Genua: the Discworld 
equivalent for New Orleans, in which Granny, Nanny, and Magrat had a 
grand adventure in Witches Abroad. Terry spent some time in New Orleans 
years ago, and from that the inspiration for the bananana daiquiri and 
other Discworldian story elements was born. Visiting New Orleans after 
reading Witches Abroad (or the other way around) is an especially unique 
experience for Pratchett fans to have, as the book echoes so much of the 
feel and culture of that unique place.

Having been there a couple of times now specifically to scout out and 
find the best locale in which to celebrate - the excellent Sheraton New 
Orleans, book your stay here, located on Canal Street right near Bourbon 
Street (but don't worry, also far enough away to offer the option of a 
quieter environment for those who aren't in the mood to paaaar-tay 24-7) 
– I can relay that it is an experience in itself to partake of the food, 
fun, and atmosphere of the city, and that you can certainly convince 
yourself, just by looking at things a little bit sideways, that you are 
actually in Genua after all.

Our hotel is handy to the shops and also to some excellent restaurants 
and sights. Along with being right near Bourbon Street, which boasts 
such famous bars as Pat O'Brien's (the Hurricanes there are a must) and 
many, many places to procure a bananana daiquiri, around the corner is 
an excellent breakfast spot very in keeping with the fairytale theme of 
Witches Abroad, The Ruby Slipper Cafe; and right across the street from 
the hotel, for all of your last-minute costuming needs, is a costume and 
(hem hem) novelty shop that is, amazingly, called 'Mr. Binky's.' (I can 
hear Terry laughing from here.) I can vouch for the delicious fare at 
The Palace Café also across Canal Street; and there's also an Audubon 
Butterfly Garden and Insectarium right down from it that is still on my 
list of 'to-visit' places.

And that's just naming a few of the places that are right outside the 
door within walking distance. There are many other amazing, interesting, 
and historical sights to be seen all over New Orleans (check out our 
handy list right here!) And, of course, there will be many things to do 
at the con itself, with excellent programming, guests, and new and old 
friends to sit down with.

More on that shortly, but for now, if you are signed up for our con, I'd 
like to say, 'Hurrah! Welcome! And we look forward to seeing you!' And 
if you haven't signed up as yet, I encourage you to register for a 
membership, book your hotel room  (noting that we have a special hotel 
rate available from August 24-September 10, should you wish to arrive 
early or stay a bit longer and explore), and join us for 'The Genuan 
Experience' in beautiful New Orleans.

Cheers from your co-chair!

Emily S. Whitten
Co-Chair, NADWCon 2017

https://nadwcon2017.org/bloggings

The when, the where and the what of NADWcon 2017: 
https://nadwcon2017.org/f-a-q

4.3 DWCON 2018 NEWS

The original Discworld Convention has been going for over twenty years 
now and hardly needs publicity, as it tend to sell out almost as fast as 
concert tickets for (insert name of latest identikit boyband here). But 
for those among you who might like a chance to get your foot in the door 
early, here be an announcement from chairperson Tamara:

"Brethren, sistren, other-ren,

"It's a million-to-one chance, but we all know those come through nine 
times out of ten... I am very proud to announce The Discworld Convention 
2018, a four day celebration of the works of Sir Terry Pratchett, which 
will be held at the Chesford Grange Hotel on 3rd – 6th August 2018. For 
the 11th Discworld Convention we are taking our inspiration from the 
book which introduced us all to the Ankh-Morpork Night Watch and its 
much beloved members Vimes, Carrot, Colon and Nobby – Guards! Guards! 
Have a look around to find all the information you need in order to join 
us in our hunt for Dragons, including when memberships go on sale, how 
to book your hotel room or camping plot, and what to expect at the 
Convention. I and the other Elucidated Brethren committee members 
welcome all of you and hope you will join us next year and help us open 
the Door of Knowledge Through Which the Untutored May Not Pass (it 
sticks something wicked in the damp). Whisper not our secret knowings to 
the uninitiated, lest your figgins be roasted..."

And look – you might have a newer and better foot-inna-door chance owing 
to a change in ticket availability:

"So, who was it that said a wise Chair never counts their dragons before 
they hatch? In my last message I said we'd be opening for sales in July. 
I gave you a date. I was sure. But then THINGS happened. Hex has had 
some issues and it's all gone a bit quantum. It's fair to say we've run 
into a couple of snags. The crack ConCom team are ON IT and yes, snags 
are being ruthlessly hunted down and eliminated. But that's taking a bit 
of time, and some of ConCom have started muttering about needing sleep. 
And food. So, in order to ensure that our sales launch goes smoothly and 
without any issues, we have decided to delay the opening of sales by 
just over one week. We will now be opening at 19:00 BST on 10th July. 
Information on the way memberships and hotel bookings will work is on 
the website now. If you need anything else then please drop us a line at 
info at dwcon.org. We are grateful for your understanding and support."

https://2018.dwcon.org/

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05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

5.1 PLAYS IN JULY AND AUGUST

* WYRD SISTERS AT THE EDINBURGH FRINGE... AGAIN! (AUGUST)

Return of the Hat! After their successes with Eric and Mort at the 
Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Duck in a Hat theatre company will be 
back at with their production of Wyrd Sisters in August.

When: 14th-19th August and 21st-27th August 2017
Venue: Paradise in Augustines, (Venue 152) 41 George IV Bridge, 
Edinburgh EH1 1EL
Time: 6.25pm all shows; running time is 90 minutes
Tickets: £9.50 (concession £8.50), available from 
https://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/event/775570-terry-pratchetts-wyrd-sisters/ 
or ring the Box Office on 0131 510 0022

http://duckinahat.weebly.com/

* GUARDS! GUARDS! IN CARDIFF (AUGUST)

The next exciting Discworld play presented by Monstrous Productions will 
be Guards! Guards!

When: 16th–19th August 2017
Venue: The Gate Arts Theatre, Keppoch St, Cardiff CF24 3JW
Time: 7.30pm (2.30pm matinee on the 19th)
Tickets: £8 (£6 concessions), available online from https://t.co/vJToGp8O5P

http://monstrousptc.com/
https://twitter.com/MonstrousPTC/
https://www.facebook.com/MonstrousProductionsTheatreCompany/

* WYRD SISTERS IN THE LAND OF FEEGLES (AUGUST/SEPTEMBER)

Monifieth Amateur Dramatics (MAD) will be staging their production of 
Wyrd Sisters, directed by Steven Armstrong, in August: "Stephen Briggs 
has been involved in amateur dramatics for over 25 years and he assures 
us that the play can be staged without needing the budget of Industrial 
Light and Magic. Not only that, but the cast should still be able to be 
in the pub by 10 o'clock!"

When: 24th-26th August and 31st August-2nd September 2017
Venue: Monifieth Theatre, 72 High Street, Monifieth, Angus DD5 2AE
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £9 (£6 concessions), available from Troups Pharmacy, Monifieth; 
Yorkshire Building Society, Broughty Ferry; and The Bay Diner/Grill, 
Monifieth. Ring 01382 480043 for details. Tickets are also available 
online at http://www.monifieththeatre.co.uk/tickets

http://www.monifieththeatre.co.uk/whatson

5.2 PLAYS LATER IN 2017... AND 2018

* LORDS AND LADIES IN BRISBANE (SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER)

Brisbane Arts Theatre will be presenting their next Discworld play, 
Lords and Ladies – adapted by Irana brown – in September: "Granny 
Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg – the witches of Lancre – are the Discworld's 
only hope of rescue when elves threaten to take control with their 
hypnotic 'glamour'. Standing stones, wizards, Morris men, rude 
mechanicals, country lore and ancient magic all combine in this 
adaptation of one of Sir Terry's finest. With a full supporting cast of 
dwarves, wizards, trolls and one orangutan, the hilarious Lords and 
Ladies delivers an abundance of hey-nonny-nonny and blood all over the 
place."

When: 16th September – 21st October 2017
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, QLD 4000
Time: 7.30pm Thursdays, 8.00pm Fridays & Saturdays, 6.30pm Sundays
Tickets: Adults $34, Concession $28, Group 10+ $27, Student Rush $15 (10 
mins before curtain), available online at http://bit.ly/2tjucfQ 
"Subscribers can redeem season tickets for this show. There are no 
refunds or exchanges once tickets have been purchased."

http://www.artstheatre.com.au/show/lordsandladies

* MORT IN READING (OCTOBER)

Twyford and Ruscombe Theatre Group will present their production of 
Mort, "an off beat tale of bacon, eggs and destiny", in October.

"Terry Pratchett's Discworld will once more be gracing the stage at 
Loddon Hall. We are putting on a production of Mort, which will involve 
a large cast, plenty of dramatic moments and a lot of laughs."

When: 5th–7th October 2017
Venue: Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road, Twyford, Reading, Berkshire, RG10 9JA
Time: 8pm all shows
Tickets: £7, £8, £9 and £10, available online at 
http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/171598

http://www.twyrusdrama.org.uk

* MORT IN KENT (OCTOBER)

The Erith Playhouse are staging their production of Mort in October.

When: 9th–14th October 2017
Venue: Erith Playhouse, 38–40 High Street, Erith, Kent DA8 1QY
Time: 8pm all shows
Tickets: £10, available from the Box Office on 01322 350345 or by 
filling out the form on the webpage 
(_http://www.playhouse.org.uk/show/mort/_). "Tickets can be posted to 
you or held at the Box Office for collection prior to the performance."

http://www.playhouse.org.uk/next-seasons-shows/

* RAISING STEAM IN ABINGDON: A POSTPONEMENT

The Studio Theatre Club have slightly updated their announcement: "Don't 
tell anyone yet (this is just between you and us), it's still a long way 
off (2018!), we've only just had the formal permission for a new play 
and Stephen's still writing it, but he thinks it's about time he tackled 
another of the novels, and the third in the Moist von Lipwig Trilogy 
might just be the right one. It's been on his to-do list for a 
while...he thinks he owes it to Terry... Tickets are not yet on sale. 
News here when they are!"

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/discworld

* MONSTROUS REGIMENT IN GEORGIA USA (FEBRUARY 2018)

Gainesville Theatre Alliance's 2017-2018 season will feature their 
production of Monstrous Regiment in a "February Festival of Theatre". 
"GTA is a nationally acclaimed collaboration of the University of North 
Georgia, Brenau University, theatre professionals and the northeast 
Georgia community that has yielded state and national awards."

When: 16th–24th February 2018
Venue: UNG-Gainesville's Ed Cabell Theatre, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, 
Oakwood, GA
Time: 7:30pm evening shows on the 16th, 18th, 20th-24th, and 2:30pm 
matinees on the 17th & 24th
Tickets: $18-20 for adults, $16-18 for seniors and $12-14 for students, 
depending on seat location, available from 1st July 1 online at 
www.gainesvilleTHEATREalliance.org or by phoning the Box Office at 678 
717 3624.

http://blog.ung.edu/gta/performances/index/
http://blog.ung.edu/gta/performances/tickets/

5.3 REVIEWS

WYRD SISTERS IN BATH

By Pamela Kelt and Samantha Walker in the Bath Chronicle:

"Nadine Comba as clever Granny Weatherwax steers us majestically through 
the madness, ably assisted by her sisters in sorcery Angela Giddings, 
hilarious as earthy Nanny Ogg, and Gabrielle Finnegan as the charmingly 
naive Magrat Garlick. The fool, Iorwerth Mitchell, mastered the art of 
being funny without appearing foolish. The duke was deliciously bonkers. 
In truth, the whole cast was sterling, putting together a fast-paced 
rendition of Pratchett's magical wit. With accents! Plus a rather super 
cauldron, courtesy of the Museum of Bath at Work (also responsible for 
the torture implements). According to Terry's original notes on the 
play, ‘a bit of dry ice would be quite nice - I know it's a swine to 
deal with, but it gives a good effect ...' In the intimacy of The Rondo, 
a smoke machine works perfectly well to fabricate the meta world that 
Pratchett created. Witty music along with terrific sound and lighting 
contribute to a satisfying theatrical experience that blends fantasy 
with subtle views on the madness of life... The Rondo Theatre Company's 
stage version of the Wyrd Sisters is a hugely enjoyable recreation of a 
novel that doesn't appear to be complicated but is fantastically 
multi-layered. .."

http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife/review-terry-pratchetts-wyrd-sisters-126324

...and a blog review from "Rachy-Lou":

"Pratchett fans will be relieved to know that the plot isn't altered 
from his original novel, loosely based on Shakespeare's Macbeth. 
Following the murder of the Old King, the Lancre Oven Coven (Nanny Ogg, 
Granny Weatherwax and Magrat) smuggle the infant prince and his crown 
out of the country to safety... The chemistry between the three is 
perfect; Nanny Ogg's (Angela Giddings) comic delivery and Magrat's 
(Gabrielle Finnegan) eccentric naivety acting as the foil to Granny 
Weatherwax's (Nadine Comba) stern realism. The relationship seems easy 
and natural, making the audience feel relaxed and engaged. From then on 
we are treated to some brilliant comedic performances from Iorwerth 
Mitchell as the Fool and Nic Proud as the Duke in particular, as well as 
a memorable Sergeant from Richard Chivers. Director Paul Olding (who 
also made a presumably last minute appearance in this performance as 
Vitoller due to ill health), utilised minimalist staging to great 
effect. The props were well chosen and realistic, some provided by the 
Museum of Bath at Work. The music was witty and lively, and the lighting 
and special effects timely and appropriate. Costumes were, for the most 
part, well put together and as I would have pictured Pratchett's 
characters to be clothed with the exception of the Duchess. Unless The 
Queen of Hearts from Wonderland really is moonlighting in this 
production. Incongruously dressed Duchesses aside, though, I thoroughly 
enjoyed the Rondo Theatre Company's production of Wyrd Sisters and any 
real criticism that I have of it is aimed solely at Stephen Briggs' 
adaptation..."

https://habitualscribbler.com/2017/06/26/theatre-review-terry-pratchetts-wyrd-sisters/

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06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS: UPDATES AND REMINDERS

The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld 
Group" (motto "Nil percussio est") will be meeting next on Monday 3rd 
July at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London, W2 1JQ. "We 
welcome anyone and everyone who enjoys Sir Terry's works, or quite likes 
them or wants to find out more. We have had many visitors from overseas 
who have enjoyed themselves and made new friends. The discussions do not 
only concern the works of Sir Terry Pratchett but wander and meander 
through other genres and authors and also leaping to TV and Film 
production. We also find time for a quiz."

As you can see from their latest meet report, the subjects for 
discussion range well beyond the Disc:

"So, we met Monday night two days after the London Bridge attack. I had 
wondered if anyone would be put off coming but in the end we had a total 
of about 15. This shows that Broken Drummers does not bow to terrorism. 
Early on, a discussion on Jeremy Clarkson became surprisingly heated. I 
got into a debate with Phil over Clarkson's violent tendencies, which I 
resolved by punching him in the face for arguing with me (OK I didn't 
but I did see Have I Got News for You filmed yesterday and wanted to put 
some satire into the meeting report). In honour of the recent 25th May, 
I did a quiz on Night Watch. This confused some American tourists on the 
next table who asked if it was something to do with Game of Thrones. As 
always, there was a certain amount of heckling. This time, Edmund was a 
major source of disruption, trying to remember the name of the Night 
Watch's horse by saying names out loud (no-one got this one so be proud 
if you know it). Eventually, I picked up one of the drumsticks from our 
mascot and threatened to hit people for further disruptions, which 
helped. Chris B won and is now the proud owner of a Dr Who mug that my 
Dad donated to the quiz. We had two new people arrive just as the quiz 
started. I think that they were called Karen and Kerry Ann, however I 
did not get the chance to speak to them properly. Chris J. has returned, 
now a qualified accountant, so our singing the Accountancy Shanty a few 
months ago clearly helped." – Helen Nicholls

For more information, go to http://brokendrummers.org/ or email 
BrokenDrummers at gmail.com or nicholls.helen at yahoo.co.uk

*

Canberra, Australia's Discworld fan group is Drumknott's Irregulars: 
"The group is open to all, people from interstate and overseas are 
welcome, and our events will not be heavily themed. Come along to dinner 
for a chat and good company. We welcome people from all fandoms (and 
none) and we would love to see you at one of our events, even if you're 
just passing through. Please contact us via Facebook 
(_https://www.facebook.com/groups/824987924250161/_) or Google Groups 
(_https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/drumknotts-irregulars_) or 
join us at our next event."

*

For Facebook users in Fourecks: The Victorian Discworld Klatch is "a 
social group for fans of Discworld and Terry Pratchett... run by a 
dedicated team who meet monthly and organise events monthly." "If you'd 
like to join our events please ask to join the Klatch."

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VictorianDiscworldKlatch

*

"The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)" is a public Facebook 
meeting group: "This group, by request of Jo in Bear will continue to be 
used for future unofficial (not run by the Emporium) fan Gatherings in 
Wincanton. Look here for information." Future events will include the 
Hogswatch Express meet (24th-26th November 2017) and the Did You Bring a 
Beer Along meeting (celebrating 20 years of The Last Continent) in April 
2018.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/

*

The Pratchett Partisans are a fan group who meet monthly at either 
Brisbane or Indooroopilly to "eat, drink and chat about all things 
Pratchett. We hold events such as Discworld dinners, games afternoons, 
Discworld photo scavenger hunts. We also attend opening night at 
Brisbane Arts Theatre's Discworld plays." The Partisans currently have 
about 200 members who meet at least twice a month, usually in Brisbane.

For more info about their next meetup, join up at 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula 
directly at uwilmott at yahoo.com.au

*

The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South 
Australia: "We have an established Terry Pratchett & Discworld fan group 
in Adelaide called The City of Small Gods, which is open to anyone who 
would like to come – you don't have to live in Adelaide or even South 
Australia, or even be a Discworld fan, but that's mostly where our 
events will be held, and we do like discussing Pratchett's works. Our 
(semi-) regular meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the 
month at a pub or restaurant in Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm 
followed by games until 9pm. The games are usually shorter games like 
Pairs, Sushi Go, or Tiny Epic Defenders, with the occasional Werewolf 
session, as these are the best sort of games that work in a pub setting. 
Every few months, we have a full day's worth of board games at La Scala 
Cafe, 169 Unley Rd, Unley in the function room starting at 10am. In 
addition, we will occasionally have other events to go and see plays by 
Unseen Theatre Company, book discussions, craft, chain maille or 
costuming workshops or other fun social activities."

The next CoSG event will be the Monthly Social Meet at the Caledonian 
Hotel on 29th June (tomorrow!); the next one after that will be on 27th 
July.

The CoSG also have another identity. Here's the skinny:

Round World Events SA Inc is a not-for-profit incorporated association 
whose aim is to run fun social Pratchett-themed events for people in 
South Australia. Our first major event was the Unseen University 
Convivium held in July 2012. We have also run three successful and 
booked out Science Fiction and Fantasy themed quiz nights named Quiz 
Long And Prosper, in 2013, 2014 and 2015! We are also running the next 
Australian Discworld Convention, Nullus Anxietas VI – The Discworld 
Grand Tour – taking place in August 2017. You can find more out about it 
on this very website (_http://ausdwcon.org/_)! The association will run 
some events under the City of Small Gods banner, but you do not have to 
be a Round World Events SA member to be part of City of Small Gods. 
However, we are always on the look out for new members for Round World 
Events SA to help us organise future events! Membership is $20 a year 
(for Adelaide locals) or $5 a year (for those not quite so close) and 
has the following benefits:

A shiny membership certificate all of your very own
Discounted entry price to some of the events we run
A warm, fuzzy feeling deep down in your chest (no, not quite that deep)
For more information, or to join as a member, please email 
RoundWorldEventsSA at gmail.com

www.cityofsmallgods.org.au

*

The Broken Vectis Drummers meet next on Thursday 6th July 2017 
(probably) from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. For 
more info and any queries, contact broken_vectis_drummers at yahoo.co.uk

*

The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) next meets on Friday 7th 
July 2017 (probably) at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards. 
"Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome!"

*

The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of 
Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, has been meeting on a regular basis 
since 2005. The Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in 
Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, to discuss "all things 
Pratchett" as well as having quizzes and raffles. Details of future 
meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum:

http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/

*

Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder) meet next on Monday 3rd 
July 2017 at 6.30pm in Sydney at 3 Wise Monkeys, 555 George Street, 
Sydney,2000. For more information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): 
kenworthys at yahoo.co.uk

*

The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers, meets 
next on Monday 3rd July 2017 (probably) from 5.30pm at Carpe Cafe, 526 
Murray Street, Perth, Western Australia. For details follow Perth 
Drummers on Twitter @Perth_Drummers or join their Facebook group: 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – or message Alexandra 
Ware directly at <alexandra.ware at gmail.com>

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blogger Rebecca on Small Gods:

I have found through reading Pratchett's books that they often have some 
underlying message, often by parodying life and our everyday struggles 
or alternatively, other literature; Equal Rites addresses the issue of 
gender equality, Wyrd Sisters parodies the three witches in 
Shakespeare's Macbeth and Moving Pictures is a humorous take on 
Hollywood and the power of media. Small Gods I think is no exception, 
introducing the idea that the power of God(s), one or another (there are 
thousands on the Discworld) are relative to the number of believers they 
have. In a way can I get behind that idea. I would truly be concerned 
however if God, Allah, Thor, Loki, Apollo etc all sat in heaven throwing 
dice and using us mere mortals as pawns for some game we don't 
understand the rules of. As well as his ability to address these topics 
– Pratchett has an extraordinary sense of humour to do it with... This 
book has some real laugh-out-loud moments, and although I wouldn't say 
it was in my top favourites of Pratchett's Discworld novels, it still 
holds its own..."

https://readersonline.blog/2017/06/25/review-small-gods-terry-pratchett/

Blogger bookedbybliss on A Hat Full of Sky:

"A Hat Full of Sky is categorized as YA and although I found it to be 
more straightforward and simpler than the usual Discworld tales, 
compared to the average (and maybe even more than average) YA books out 
there, the story was definitely complicated and meaningful. In his usual 
wry and satirical manner, Terry Pratchett deals with issues that are 
commonplace to most young people – bullies, rivalry, peer pressure, 
being the odd one out. It is overall a coming of age novel but it has 
themes that adults can relate to as well such as taking responsibility 
for your actions and differentiating between what you want to do and the 
right thing to do. Tiffany's interaction with the Hiver also forces us 
to face some truths about ourselves that we may not be comfortable with. 
Being a witch turns out to be very different from what Tiffany had 
imagined it would be and we as readers discover along with her that it's 
not all about boiling cauldrons and casting spells and turning people 
into frogs... I found it interesting to see [Granny Weatherwax] 
portrayed in a different light here than the other Discworld books, 
where she's often shown as a disagreeable and difficult woman in 
comparison to the more genial Nanny Ogg. In this book she is looked at 
with great reverence and likened to a leader of the witches..."

https://bookedbybliss.wordpress.com/2017/06/23/book-review-a-hat-full-of-sky-by-terry-pratchett/\

Blogger Ryan is back with his thoughts on Wyrd Sisters:

"The book's parodying of Shakespeare's plays supplants the usual jabs at 
the Fantasy genre. This is the first time (perhaps except Mort) that 
Pratchett has shifted the subject from that genre's tropes to another 
that still works in the setting. Shakespeare having written a lot about 
royalty, it also plays heavily with the legends and beliefs behind the 
importance of kingship, those destined for it, and the power it grants. 
In classic Discworld fashion, the book doesn't pull many punches when 
making fun of monarchy, especially in the face of the usual 
romanticizing... The trio of witches play off of each other really well. 
Granny's stubborn expertise, Nanny's jovial rambling, and Magrat's meek 
inexperience makes for a lot of great banter, especially the more 
compromising a situation they're thrown into... one thing this novel 
gets into that I really appreciated was the power of words 
(storytelling) in shaping reality. This not in the literal sense, but 
reality as perception. There are instances of word of mouth and spin, 
but this culminates in the use of theatre, which frequently portrays the 
drama of history. A popular production of a story, of history, becomes 
the truth in the eyes of the masses, even if the facts are much 
different. Felmet wants to use a play to turn public favour against the 
three witches and onto his side. We see how words could change a group 
of herbalists and healers who utilize the arcane into scheming hags that 
murder babies and sink ships with sinister powers, in the eyes of an 
audience. Though the book's presentation of this is at a microcosmic 
scale, it demonstrates the realities that fiction can create and how 
that can be used for good or for ill in swaying perception..."

https://musewithmeblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/20/book-review-wyrd-sisters-by-terry-pratchett/

A quick note from blogger thecorneroflaura about chapters and why 
Discworld never needed them:

"I've just finished reading Night Watch by Terry Pratchett. Like the 
other Discworld books, this one doesn't have any chapters. You'd think 
that this would cripple a book, leaving no convenient place for a reader 
to leave off for the day and risking confusion when the scene changes. 
Yet, in Night Watch, it doesn't diminish my enjoyment at all. Of course, 
this is mostly down to the late Terry Pratchett's incredible writing (I 
think Sam Vimes has muscled his way into my top ten main characters 
list) but it got me thinking: could other books get away with it? Do you 
have to be as brilliant as Pratchett to be able to do away with chapters 
altogether?..."

https://thecorneroflaura.wordpress.com/2017/06/11/novel-writing-question-no-6-do-we-even-need-chapters-anyway/

Blogger cupofjobi, late to the Discworld party, will be partying 
enthusiastically after having a go at The Colour of Magic:

"I'm not sure why I've never read any Terry Pratchett before, especially 
since I've known about his series and heard nothing but high praise for 
it since I can remember, but this book is absolutely amazing. I cannot 
wait to read more of the Discworld series. It's hard for me to even 
convey how much I loved this book. I will admit to being a little lost 
at first as to what exactly was happening but before I knew it I was 
whisked away on an adventure with Rincewind the wizard and Twoflower the 
tourist as the sapient pearwood luggage chest follows them all over 
Discworld. So many authors I read on a regular basis have sung such high 
praises for this series and now I know why. It is simply put, one of the 
best books I have ever read. I found it hard to put down even with the 
Pacific Ocean lapping at the seawall outside of our rental house. My 
only complaint about this book was that each of the chapters was 
extremely long, I believe there were only 4 in the entire first book, 
and I vastly prefer shorter chapters. But honestly who the hell cares 
how many chapters there are or how long each of them is when the 
writing, characters, and story are as amazing as what Terry Pratchett 
put onto the page. RIP Terry Pratchett, I feel ashamed for not finding 
your truly fantastic series of books before now..."

http://bit.ly/2th2KQP

Blogger Jeroen returns with thoughts on Tiffany Aching and The Wee Free Men:

"The Aching books are commonly labeled as young adult, but Pratchett is 
such a treasure that these books should not be overlooked. We are now in 
the final stretch of Discworld novels, in which Pratchett's struggle 
with Alzheimer slowly becomes apparent. But the Tiffany Aching novels 
see Pratchett still on top of his game and are one of the jewels in his 
crown... What I admire greatly in Pratchett's writing is how this story 
is about common shepherd people in a medieval fantasy setting, and how 
he grounds these people so strongly in the land and the communities they 
live in. During Tiffany's adventure, we get flashbacks to her memories 
of her grandmother, 'Granny Aching', who wields this great influence 
over the community while all she does is sit still and smoke tobacco. 
Her 'witchery' is being smart and silent, similar to the 'headology' of 
Granny Weatherwax in other Discworld novels. These characters are simply 
a stroke of genius... Unfortunately, the plot suffers from a number of 
tired tropes. Tiffany is trying to rescue her brother, who is stolen 
away by the fairy queen, and so Tiffany has to cross over to fairyland. 
It's a dream-world where people's dreams and mythological monsters 
become true, blablabla. I suspect that an adventure on Discworld itself 
would have been a lot more interesting than another rendition of the 
land of Oz..."

https://jeroenthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/06/02/terry-pratchett-the-wee-free-men-2003-review/

Blogger Jonathan Feinstein is back with thoughts on the Snuff audiobook:

"This is another great story that is a part of an all-around great 
series. The Discworld stories can be mistaken for mere parodies of 
fantasy tropes and, indeed, that is how they started out, but they stand 
on their own and are frequently good serious stories, wearing only a 
mask of satire. Snuff is a good solid story with some good solid social 
messages but delivered in a clever and entertaining manner. It is also 
an excellent example of how to mix a police procedural story with 
fantasy. Best of all, I think it makes sense even if you have not read 
all the stories that precede it which is hard to accomplish in such a 
long-running series. As usual, I very much enjoyed Stephen Briggs' 
reading. He does occasionally resort to funny voices for some of the 
characters, but in most cases I think they are well chosen, especially 
for non-human characters, although I was slightly annoyed by the 
pubescent, breaking voice of the young 'Chief Constable' out in the 
country. The character was much younger than Vimes, but I did not think 
he was that much younger. However, that was my only real criticism so 
all in all, he did well. Briggs has read many of the Discworld novels so 
it was very much a matter of coming back to a familiar friend..."

https://jonathanfeinstein.wordpress.com/2017/05/28/an-audio-book-review-ah-choo/

Blogger The English Student has had a re-think about Moving Pictures:

"Pratchett's line is in interrogating the narrative structures that 
underlie our culture and our expectations of reality. In that respect, 
he is actually surprisingly formally innovative – surprisingly, that is, 
for such an unabashedly popular writer, though his fans have been 
pushing people to his work for years. Moving Pictures is an excellent 
case in point, though it's not really a fan favourite – perhaps because 
it's missing the savage flashes of explicit social criticism some of his 
works exhibit. (From Guards! Guards!: 'we were dragons. We were supposed 
to be cruel, cunning, heartless, and terrible. But…we never burned and 
tortured and ripped one another apart and called it morality.') It's a 
veritable tissue of structural irony, packed with a plethora of 
narrative levels. At its heart, it's a tale that twists Hollywood 
sidelong by transplanting it into a fantasy world; asks us to look 
afresh at the silent-movie tropes that are by now embedded into our own 
cultural consciousness... It's a hugely playful novel, one which also 
takes its characters seriously enough to have real warmth... the 
Discworld novels are a lot cleverer than I think I've given them credit 
for in the past. In fact, I think Pratchett might well be the Dickens of 
the twenty-first century: a popular writer who deals in kindly 
caricature and savage humour, who's doing some real work beneath the 
densely detailed surface of his fiction..."

https://englishstudens.wordpress.com/2017/05/27/review-moving-pictures/

Blogger butiliketurtles loved Witches Abroad:

While enjoying my time road tripping through Uruguay, weeks ago now, I 
decided to start this little gem. Terry Pratchett has long been a soft 
spot for me and I don't intend to grow out of fantasy any time soon, 
particularly this brand of silliness. Within a few pages I was hooked 
and I spent a lot of a ferry back to Buenos Aires in stitches and 
pestering my mate so I could read him snippets... I am quite a fan of 
Granny Weatherwax. I really enjoyed seeing a little bit of character 
development, a little bit more than all of those pointy edges and 
seemingly callous deflections. That outer layer is actually just hiding 
something a little more tender underneath. I could just boil this novel 
down into a talking mirror and witches not letting a young girl kiss a 
frog. But I could also boil it down into some very entertaining old 
ladies wrecking utter havoc on the general public. This is a melting pot 
of a lot of well loved fairy tales turned upside down and stitched 
together in a new pattern that I believe works very well..."

https://waistcoatsginandwords.wordpress.com/2017/06/03/61-witches-abroad/

Feminist blogger Eve S Rafter finds much of interest in a long post on 
Equal Rites:

"Contemporary gender studies would probably discuss this in terms of 
gender roles and socialization. Boys are encouraged to grow up with a 
particular mindset, girls with another. Boys who may show inclinations 
classified as feminine are pushed – or punished – away from them. 
Likewise with girls who show masculine inclinations. Granny Weatherwax's 
reference to 'jommetry' echoes something my mother believes – that men 
have brains better suited to logic and mathematics, and that female 
brains are better suited to emotional or empathetic fields. Wizards' 
magic is 'out of the sky' – a parallel can be drawn here to physics; 
while witch magic is out of the ground. It's no coincidence that more 
women gravitate towards biology... The magic of men, if allowed to 
progress in an unrestricted fashion, will result in complete destruction 
of the universe. They are therefore not allowed to use their magic 
except in cases of absolute necessity (like when another wizard or set 
of wizards have already set about destroying the universe, and need to 
be stopped.) The wisdom and greatness of wizardry lies in doing nothing, 
which is why the greatest, strongest wizards do nothing but eat a lot 
and nap a lot. The magic of witches on the other hand is perpetually in 
use. For the most part, witch magic is nothing but knowledge of herbal 
medicine, gossipping around a pot of tea, and what Granny Weatherwax 
refers to as 'headology.' The witches are perpetual servants of society 
– they are midwives and healers, dispensers of justice, veterinarians. 
They tend to the elderly, the ones who have no one else to look after 
them. They take up the jobs no one else want, precisely because they can 
be so much more, and their power requires constant reminders of why it's 
important to stay grounded..."

https://feministquill.wordpress.com/2017/06/06/book-review-discworld-3-equal-rites/

...and finally, Cultured Vultures blogger Nat Wassell considers the 
darkness of I Shall Wear Midnight:

"The first thing that strikes you reading ‘I Shall Wear Midnight' is 
that it is dark. Dark by Discworld standards anyway, and especially dark 
by Tiffany Aching standards... There is a darkness to ‘I Shall Wear 
Midnight', although it is not lacking in the other elements that make up 
a good Discworld novel. Most importantly for me is the brief sojourn 
that Tiffany makes to Ankh-Morpork, the first time we have seen her 
visit the city. There she meets Mrs Proust, who runs the infamous Boffo 
shop, and whilst on this visit, Tiffany shares a page, albeit briefly, 
with Sam Vimes. She is, in fact, a little bit intimidated by him, when 
she is so often not intimidated by anyone, and I loved that idea. We 
don't see Sam interact with any of the other witches at any point, and 
although I'd pay ridiculous money for a Vimes vs Granny Weatherwax novel 
(I think they would be best friends in the end), I'll take this short 
scene and be appreciative of it..."

https://culturedvultures.com/discworld-discussions-shall-wear-midnight-2010/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) ROUNDWORLD TALES: BOOTS FOR DINNER, AND WAYZGOOSE

You may recall a certain famous dinner in Ankh-Morpork, when the Canting 
Crew were convinced to give up their footwear to be turned into new 
"exotic" dishes (with avec) at a posh restaurant. Here in Roundworld, a 
homeless man gave up his footwear so that someone else could *eat* in a 
posh restaurant! One Akbar Badshah found himself barred from his wife's 
birthday dinner because the sandals he was wearing failed to meet the 
restaurant's dress code:

"He turned to nearby rough sleeper John, who said he would be 'happy' to 
help and lend him his boots. Mr Badshah, who also wanted to break his 
Ramadan fast, told BBC Radio 5 live: "The [staff] said, 'unfortunately 
we have to turn you away - do you have any spare shoes?' I said, 'I 
don't, I've driven an hour to get here, I'm starving, I've not eaten all 
day.'" He and his wife Rozmin – who had previously suggested her husband 
should wear shoes – left the restaurant and later struck up a 
conversation with John, who had recently received a new pair of boots 
from an outreach shelter. "We had a little chat and I just asked John, 
'What shoe size are you?'," Mr Badshah said. "He said, 'I'm a 14,' and I 
said, 'I'm a size 9, I'm in a bit of predicament... can I borrow your 
shoes?' "He goes, 'Yes certainly, I'll be happy to lend you my shoes.'" 
The couple went on to enjoy their meal as planned, then returned the 
boots to John, who told Mr Badshah he had just wanted "to help another 
human being out". Mr Badshah said John only accepted a £10 note in 
thanks "on the third attempt". Another man, who overheard the 
conversation between the pair, then gave John a £50 note, which Mr 
Badshah said was "good karma". Mr Badshah said he now hopes to return to 
the restaurant with John for a meal."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-40368439

You may also recall a certain ill-starred wizard at Unseen University – 
Virrid Wayzygoose, the Archchancellor-elect who fell foul of Coin the 
Sourceror's staff. You probably also laughed at the silliness of his 
name, but did you know that in using that name Sir Pterry was yet again 
proving his stellar worth as a picker-up of inconsidered trifles? The 
Oxford English Dictionary tells us that a wayzgoose (note spelling) was 
originally "an entertainment given by a master-printer to his workmen to 
mark the beginning of the season of working by candlelight", and later 
"an annual festivity held in summer by the employees of a printing 
establishment, consisting of a dinner and (usually) an excursion into 
the country" which was traditionally held in late August to coincide 
with the feast of St Bartholomew, the patron saint of bookbinders. But 
as to *why* a wayzgoose was so called, no-one is the wiser. The origin 
of the term is unknown! It's possible that it comes from the word 
waygoose, which might have meant a goose fed on field-stubble after 
harvest time, or possibly from wake-goose, an old printing house 
holiday, but there the trail goes cold. Still , the OED is determined to 
get to the bottom of this weird word. You can read the full article here:

http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2013/08/origin-of-wayzgoose/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

NADWcon 2017's excellent Witches banner, a composite of Agnes, Magrat, 
Granny, Nanny and – I think – Tiffany:
https://nadwcon2017.org/media/wysiwyg/Composite_Witch_bees_1.png

Some of the main cast of Milton Follies' recent production of Wyrd 
Sisters in Fourecks, looking very Lancrastian:
http://bit.ly/2ub9Gva

...and the Lancre Witches of Bath, as seen in the Rondo Theatre 
Company's recent production (see item 5.3):
http://bit.ly/2sWd3GX

Lord Vetinari, who sometimes cosplays as Stephen Briggs, has a message 
for us:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DCA_aivXYAADHO_.jpg

The inimitable Paul Kidby, working on some new Nac Mac Feegle sculptures:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DC2WlhDXgAA6qOo.jpg

...and on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the release of 
Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, My Kidby's amazing Band with 
Rocks In tribute "album cover" is always worth another viewing:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DBOLEDNWsAE4-TI.jpg

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) CLOSE

Fans of the Ankh-Morpork Post Office might be interested to know that 
legendary Roundworld stamp collecting concern Stanley Gibbons – the 
source of our beloved Assistant Postmaster's name, Stanley Howler – is 
up for sale:

"The company has identified the Middle East and Asia as new markets for 
potential growth, but said expansion would require further investment. 
It said that it would therefore examine its options, which could include 
the sale of part or all of the business. The firm was set up by Edward 
Stanley Gibbons in 1856 and is the world's longest established rare 
stamp trader. It opened its first shop in 1891 on The Strand in London 
where it continues to trade from today. It also has overseas sites in 
Hong Kong and Singapore. The company also sells coins and antiques, but 
is best known for its rare stamps business..."

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-40245067

In closing, let it be noted that the organisers of the Scheibenwelt 
(German Discworld) convention want you to know there are "only 827 days 
left" until the next convention...

And that's the lot for June. Take care, and we'll see you in July!

– Annie Mac


The mirror version of this issue can be viewed at 
http://wossname.dreamwidth.org/54477.html

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner 
(at) pearwood (dot) info