Wossname -- Sektober 2018 -- Main issue
News and reviews about the works of Sir Terry Pratchett
wossname at pearwood.info
Mon Nov 5 13:22:26 AEDT 2018
Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
Sektober 2018 (Volume 21, Issue 10, Post 1)
********************************************************************
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.
********************************************************************
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 Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
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)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
INDEX:
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) ODDS AND SODS
04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
05) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
06) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
07) CLOSE
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
"Terry Pratchett and I wrote the novel almost 30 years ago. We failed to
get a movie made almost immediately. And then a few years ago, Terry and
I thought it might be a good idea to try it as television. We went to
looking for writers, and they all said no, it's too big and too weird.
And then Terry sent me a letter saying, 'you have to [write] this
because I don't have very long to live, and I want to see it before the
lights go out.' And then he died much, much faster than any of us
expected. And that was his last request, and so I've seen it through." –
Neil Gaiman sets the record straight about Good Omens season 2 (not) at
New York Comic Con 2018
"Good Omens is a very – I'm going to use a very particular word here –
is a very English production. It's very English. There's no British, no
UK. It's very English. I'm Scottish, when I read the book it felt so
much like a ... I wouldn't say cliché or stereotype, but it's so much
about how English people talk to each other. That's why with Aziraphale
and Crowley, they're both English."
– Good Omens director Douglas MacKinnon
"The Watch is a distinctly British but defiantly global exhilarating,
thriller that is disruptive in its approach to the fantasy genre and
also big on the themes of mortality, inclusion, alternative facts and
justice. It's a dizzying riot of hope, joy, suspense and audaciously
dark humor. We can't wait to work with BBC AMERICA to bring it all to
life for existing fans and brand new audiences."
– Hilary Salmon, Executive Producer and Head of BBC Studios Drama
Production London
"The meat of Discworld is societal commentary. Pratchett used his comic
fantasy series to shine a light on human nature, politics, opera,
racism, war, religion, fairy tales, traditions, gender identity,
industrialization and lofty concepts like justice and destiny. It's all
subtly done, of course. You're too busy laughing at the hysterical
dialogue, slapstick physical comedy and clever puns to realize the
author is really talking about serious concepts. It's only upon
reflection that you see it wasn't just a rip-snorting, action-packed
adventure: it was a moving, honest piece of philosophy, too. The stories
may star magical creatures, but you'll be a better human by reading them."
– Canadian web journalist Angie Barry sums it up nicely
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
Department of We Ate'nt Dead: we're doing somewhat better now at
Wossname Central. Your Editor is still sufficiently unwell that more
time has to be spent resting than sitting at the household Hex, hence
the late arrival of this month's issue, but at least there's a bit more
in it...
Our heartfelt thanks go to the various people who wrote to offer us
their best wishes for recovery, especially to Jason and Rachel of
Discworld Monthly for their kind shout-out in their October issue and
also to faithful reader Robert Byrd. Here's hoping that 2019 will bring
better health and good fortune for all of us, not just Better Half and self!
Department of Discworld Helps With Grief: our Staff Technomancer
recently suffered an awful family bereavement. I'm not going to be
inappropriate by publishing details here, but I did want to mention that
even in the depths of mourning he and I found room for some Discworld
references about GNU and Feegle beliefs about life and death that
brought humour to lighten the tears. Thank you once again, Sir Pterry,
for the inspirations you left us.
Department of Grovelling Apologies: more than four months ago, when
things at Wossname Central were already going pear-shaped, reader Andy
Feeney in Washington DC sent a letter in which he presented his analysis
of Sourcery – at the time, as a rebuttal to one of the blog reviews in
our June 2018 issue. Somehow in the kerfuffle I managed to file his
email and never replied. So I'm going to publish his analysis below in
Odds and Sods, and hope he doesn't set The New Firm on me for being
presumptuous...
There's good news for bricks and mortar bookshops: the American
Booksellers Association says the number of independent bookstores has
risen from 1,651 in 2009 to 2,470 in 2018. "History continues to bear
out Howe's and Strauss' predictions based on a four-generation cycle in
American history. So Howe's recent Forbes.com article, 'Millennials: A
Generation of Page-Turners' – about the strong upswing in print reading
among young people born between 1981 and 1996 – piqued my interest.
Besides preferring print to digital reading, 'Millennials read more than
older generations do – and more than the last generations did at the
same age.' Howe cites Pew Research Center's survey findings that 80
percent of 18- to 29-year-olds read at least one book in the last year,
compared to 73 percent of 30- to 49-year-olds, 70 percent of 50- to
64-year-olds and 67 percent of seniors. Moreover, 'print books remain by
far the most popular book format among all age groups,' with 72 percent
of Americans reading print books, but only 35 percent reading e-books.
That's why 'after years of steady growth, e-book sales slowed sharply in
2014 and have since plateaued.' A contributing factor is that it's
simply harder to read digital books; study upon study show that digital
reading is physically slower and comprehending what's being read is
significantly diminished..." (_https://bit.ly/2p4ENIn_)
And now, on with the (still slightly short) show...
– Annie Mac, Editor
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
03) ODDS AND SODS
3.1 HERE COMES THE WATCH... AT LAST!
BBC America has finally given the greenlight to the series we've waited
so long for! Here be an extract from Narrativia's announcement:
"The Watch is a punk rock thriller inspired by the legendary 'City
Watch' subset of 'Discworld' novels. This disruptive, character-driven
thriller centers on Terry Pratchett's misfit cops as they fight to save
a ramshackle city of normalized wrongness, from both the past and future
in a perilous quest. Modern and inclusive, The Watch features many
famous 'Discworld' creations including City Watch Captain Sam Vimes, the
last scion of nobility Lady Sybil Ramkin, the naive but heroic Carrot,
the mysterious Angua and the ingenious non-binary forensics expert
Cheery together with Terry Pratchett's iconic characterization of
Death... 'The Watch has been startlingly reimagined for television by
writer Simon Allen, while still cleaving to the humor, heart and
ingenuity of Terry Pratchett's incomparably original work,' commented
BBC America President, Sarah Barnett. “BBC America embraces what's fresh
and exhilarating in TV; we believe The Watch will astonish audiences.'
"Writer Simon Allen said: 'With events in our own world making the
insanity of "Discworld" seem outrageously familiar, there couldn't be a
better time to bring Terry's fun, fire and fury back to the small screen
or a better place than BBC AMERICA. I'm grateful to them, BBC Studios
and especially Rob Wilkins at Narrativia who has been a constant source
of inspiration on this epic and emotional journey.” Hilary Salmon,
Executive Producer and Head of BBC Studios Drama Production London,
said: 'The Watch is a distinctly British but defiantly global
exhilarating, thriller that is disruptive in its approach to the fantasy
genre and also big on the themes of mortality, inclusion, alternative
facts and justice. It's a dizzying riot of hope, joy, suspense and
audaciously dark humor. We can't wait to work with BBC AMERICA to bring
it all to life for existing fans and brand new audiences.' Rob Wilkins,
Executive Producer and Managing Director of Narrativia, said: 'Many
years ago Terry made the brave decision to allow brand new Watch stories
to be told with his existing characters. It's taken a long time for
anything to happen because we guard these characters with our very
lives! So many of Terry's biggest ideas seem more vital and urgent now
than ever before and I am thrilled to be working with Simon and such a
talented team, who understand the unique genius of their creator. They
have really keyed into the subversive qualities of Terry's voice and
they clearly adore "Discworld" as much as I and millions of fans around
the world do.'..."
To read the entire announcement, go to http://narrativia.com/watch.html
3.2 GOOD OMENS NEWS
First off, THE NEW TRAILER! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZSXlNRRoGU
Then, some cast and crew comments. In the Irish Examiner:
"Gaiman, appearing alongside the cast of Good Omens during the Prime
Video Presents event in London, said: 'It came out and rapidly became a
cult book, the kind of book people would show up (with) at signings and
it had been read to death, dropped in the soup, held together with
Sellotape. Then we spent many years failing to get it made as a movie.
Terry Gilliam was determined but failed and finally Terry (Pratchett)
and I thought, "Let's make a TV series", went out and began looking for
somebody to do the adaptation. We knew it wouldn't be us because we were
far too busy. Then in the summer of 2014 Terry (Pratchett), who had
serious Alzheimer's, he was very compos mentis but it was tragic and
awful, he wrote me a letter saying: 'You have to do this because I want
to watch it before the lights go out. You have the passion of the old
girl that I have.' Then he died, which made it a last request...'
Speaking about starring opposite former Doctor Who star Tennant,
[Michael] Sheen said: 'My biggest problem when we were filming and I
would genuinely be going between: "Oh you're really good" to "I think I
love you." I was never quite sure where the character ended.' Tennant
added: 'Most of our stuff is with each other. We spend a lot of time on
park benches, so when you start on what was a long shoot, we had never
worked together, what if we rub up against each other? But we found a
rhythm quickly and if you've got someone you feel safe to play with and
these characters that feel new and also recognisable, that comes from
the writing. And you know what this unique world is straight away, it
was a joy.'..."
https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/entertainment/neil-gaiman-pratchett-wanted-to-watch-good-omens-before-the-lights-go-out-872993.html
...and on tv.com (originally in TV Guide):
"The creator and stars of Amazon Prime's upcoming series Good Omens
dropped by New York Comic Con on Saturday to reveal new details about
the upcoming series based on the Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett novel
of the same name... Saturday's panel, moderated by Whoopi Goldberg and
featuring Neil Gaiman, Michael Sheen, David Tennant, Jon Hamm, Miranda
Richardson, featured two clips, cheeky banter between the cast, and the
first incredible trailer of the Amazon series. In the first clip,
Aziraphale and Crowley are returning home after a failed trip to track
down the missing Antichrist and Crowley has some ~thoughts~ on
Aziraphale's music choices. Crowley quips, 'You know if you lined up a
million people and asked them to describe the Velvet Underground, none
of them would say bebop.'... In the second clip, the angel Gabriel
(Hamm) deigns to come down to earth and visit Aziraphale at the book
shop. In an attempt to blend, Gabriel rolls in and announces he'd like
to buy one of the shop's material objects. His delightful angel henchman
reminds him it's called a book, and that it's probably pornography...
The amazing first look at Good Omens is a huge reassurance to fans. Many
attempts have been made to bring the story to screen before, including a
2002 movie helmed by Terry Gilliam that didn't happen, but Amazon Prime
is finally bringing the beloved property to your eyeballs and it looks
like they're doing it right..."
http://www.tv.com/news/amazon-good-omens-trailer-released-15388389870024304/
...and an interview on Den of Geek with Good Omens director Douglas
MacKinnon (although many of the quotes are from the main cast *about*
MacKinnon):
"Director Douglas Mackinnon is behind the camera for all six episodes of
what looks to be a trippy, distinctive, and wonderfully weird adaptation
of a beloved book. Mackinnon knows his way around both an adaptation and
a fantasy world. Standouts on the Scottish director's long resume
include Doctor Who's 'The Husbands of River Song' (he's directed eight
episode of NuWho), Sherlock's 'The Abominable Bride,' and the first
three episodes of Steven Moffat's highly underrated Jekyll. Den of Geek
had the chance to talk to Mackinnon and the cast of Good Omens at the
recent New York Comic Con..."
https://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/good-omens/277047/the-distinctive-direction-of-the-good-omens-tv-show
3.3 REMINDER: DISCWORLD AND BEYOND EXHIBIT
Paul Kidby's Discworld and Beyond exhibit is now on at the Chapel
Gallery in Ormskirk and will move in mid-December to the North
Hertfordshire Museum. See the details below!
Currently...
When: now through 1st December 2018
Venue: Chapel Gallery, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L39 4QR
(phone 01695 571 328, email chapel.gallery at westlancs.gov.uk)
Time: 10am–4.30pm Tuesdays–Saturdays (closed Monday, Sunday & all Bank
Holidays)
Tickets: free admission; there is also disabled access.
https://www.paulkidby.com/event/discworld-beyond-5/
...and then...
When: 15th December 2018–February 2019 (finishing date TBC)
Venue: North Hertfordshire Museum, Via Town Hall, Brand Street, Hitchin
SG5 1JE (phone 01462 474554)
Times and Tickets info still TBA
http://www.northhertsmuseum.org/contact-us/
"For further details contact Emma Mackinnon, Exhibitions & Collections
Officer at St Barbe Museum, Lymington.
Emma.Mackinnon at stbarbe-museum.org.uk"
https://www.paulkidby.com/events/#upcoming-events
3.4 A PTERRY GOOD BET FOR BOOKSHOP
Red Lion Books in Colchester is turning 40, and some of their initial
success depended on a certain helpful author:
"'Terry Pratchett became a good friend of the shop after we asked him
along quite early in his career and I remember George Martin telling us
that his books were just about to be filmed, so we got him just at the
right time.' ... Terry Pratchett's regular visits to the shop over 20
years attracted ever increasing numbers of fans until the queue would
stretch out of our door and up the High Street to the Town Hall..."
https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/16989295.red-lion-book-shop-will-mark-its-40th-birthday/
3.5 A CARPET PEOPLE CHARACTER WINDOW DISPLAY IN THE LAND OF FEEGLES!
From Fiona Pringle in The Scotsman:
"A life-sized imagining of a Munrung, one of the characters from a tribe
created by Terry Pratchett for his children's story The Carpet People,
has taken over the Herman Brown window on West Port. Costume designer
Harriet Ogden and part-time sales assistant, was searching for
inspiration for her costume performance degree when her dad Steve
suggested she look into the mind of Pratchett. 'I was chatting to my dad
and explained that I wanted to make crazy, weird little creatures and
make something really creative. I was interested in transforming the
human body so the focus wasn't on a facial expression but on expressing
movement through textiles. He suggested Terry Pratchett and when I found
The Carpet People it reminded me of The Borrowers, who I loved when I
was younger. The Carpet People characters are very like The Borrowers,
only tinier and I realised there were loads of fun ways that I could
bring them to life.'..."
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/entertainment/costume-designer-gets-prime-spot-in-west-port-window-with-terry-pratchett-character-1-4824073
3.6 "SOURCERY": SOME THOUGHTS
By Andy Feeney
There's a great passage in "Jingo" where Sam Vines and 71-Hour Ahmed are
discussing their differing approaches to police work, and Vimes says,
"Different strokes for different folks." Ahmed replies, "I generally
find that for me, one at breast height is sufficient," meaning the sword
stroke he generally uses to cut off miscreants' heads. The phrase comes
to mind as I look through the June 2018 Wossname, and I read the review
of "Sourcery" by blogger acallidryas, who writes in part: "When you're
as prolific as Pratchett, you're bound to have a miss or two, and
unfortunately, that was Sourcery. The book isn't as fleshed out as the
others, and not just in terms of the missing call-backs to how Discworld
works. I didn't quite understand why the wizards were all fighting each
other, and I'm still not clear on how sorcery becomes such a problem. Or
why Coin's father became so malevolent. Or how the whole thing resolved
in the end? The book flowed on quickly, and never seemed to explain
itself, and I'm left rather unsatisfied with the plot itself."
Different strokes and all that, but I beg acallidryas to look at
"Sourcery" again and rethink what Pratchett was up to in many of the
Discworld books. This is fantasy; Pratchett grew up loving fantasy and
was an enthusiastic fan of the Lord of the Rings cycle; but one thing he
brings to fantasy is a sometimes nearly brutal sense of realism. Death,
of course, is a presence in nearly Discworld novel, and the central
focus of many of them, and one way in which Discworld "works" is by
making repeated, nearly constant references to everyday life on Earth –
with the ever-present reality of Death being a big part of Pratchett's
realistic humor. For me, maybe because I'm almost in my 70s, the best
and most outrageously funny line in "Sourcery" is where Ipslore the Red,
who's gone mad from a lifetime of resenting his expulsion from Unseen
University and from the recent experience of having his wife killed in a
freak thunderstorm, holds up his son Coin for Death's inspection and
says "Children are our hope for the future." Death replies, "THERE IS NO
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE." And when Ipslore pleads, "What is there, then?"
Death says simply, "THERE'S ONLY ME."
For more than a century, modern writers have made a huge issue out of
speaking "forbidden" truths about sex, but here Pratchett is hitting the
reader with the most forbidden and scandalous truth of all – something
NOBODY wants to think about. And for me, anyway, the sheer effrontery of
this makes me laugh out loud ever time I reread the passage, which is
often. As for the plot, which admittedly is extremely complex, everyone
who's grown up with some familiarity with Christian (or for that matter,
Norse) prophecies about the end of the world ought to have some
appreciation for how Pratchett ends "Sourcery." What the book does is
combine the idea of the Apocrypha – the books that some Christians
admire and still read, but that have a disputed place at best in the
official canon on which most Christian bibles are based, with the idea
of the Apocalypse of the St. John, the fearsome prophecy of how all
human history will come to end in a bloody disaster that only the saints
will survive.
In Pratchett's fantasy, we get instead of these the "Apocralypse," an
End Times that we're not sure will actually happen. And in fact, it
doesn't: thanks to the fumbling struggles of a failed wizard, Rincewind,
and the way that a failed hairdresser, Conina, and a ridiculous excuse
for a barbarian hero, Nigel, interfere with the famous Four Horsemen of
the Apocalypse, the whole triumph of the Ice Giants doesn't come off,
and Discworld is saved. Whatever Pratchett might or might not have been
saying about the deep structure of Discworld, then, in this book he's
dealing with the most terrifying Christian prophecy (and also the most
terrifying Norse prophecy), about the future of our own universe. And
he's suggesting how with some luck, it will all come out well in the end
– well, at least it'll be OK for now.
This is fabulous stuff, for those of us who read the Discworld novels
not for immersion in an alternative universe, but for whatever insights
and reassurances Pratchett can provide us about the often terrifying
non-fantasy world that we actually inhabit. I think I remember
Pratchett writing somewhere that the best thing about fantasy is that
it's realistic, but my memory admittedly is imperfect these days. But if
he didn't write this about his own work, he should have.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
Editor's note: as Wossname normally only comes out once every month, do
check the Wossname blog for information on plays that might fall between
issue dates! Go to https://wossname.dreamwidth.org/ for interim updates.
4.1 PLAYS TO COME
* HOGFATHER IN ABINGDON (NOVEMBER)
The Studio Theatre Club's next Discworld production will be Hogfather! –
or as they say it, "another of our world Premiere Terry Pratchett shows,
dramatised by Terry's friend, Stephen Briggs".
When: 14th–17th November 2018
Venue: the Unicorn Theatre, Medieval Abbey Buildings, Checker Walk,
Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3JB
Time: 7.30pm all evening shows; 2.30pm matinee on Saturday 17th November
Tickets: £12, available by post (see
_http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/ordering-tickets_) or online via
http://www.wegottickets.com/StudioTheatre (note that there is a 10%
booking charge). "If you're booking for one of the weekend performances
(Friday or Saturday evening, Saturday matinee), please give a second and
third choice, as these performances are expected to sell out really
quickly."
http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/whats-next
* GOING POSTAL IN BRISTOL (DECEMBER)
The Kelvin Players will be staging Going Postal in December: "Moist von
Lipwig was a con artist, a fraud and a man faced with a life choice: be
hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork's ailing postal service back on its feet. It
was a tough decision. With the help of a golem who has been at the
bottom of hole in the ground for over two hundred years, a pin fanatic
and Junior Postman Groat, he's got to see that the mail gets through. In
taking on the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a
midnight killer, he's also got to stay alive. Getting a date with Adora
Bell Dearheart would be nice, too. In the mad world of the mail, can a
criminal succeed where honest men have failed and died? Perhaps there's
a shot at redemption for man who's prepared to push the envelope..."
When: 5th–8th and 12th–15th December 2018
Venue: Kelvin Studio, 253B Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NY
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £10 and £12, available online from
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/bristol/kelvin-players-theatre/going-postal-by-terry-pratchett-and-stephen-briggs
https://www.kelvinplayers.co.uk/current-production
* MASKERADE IN WEST SUSSEX (MARCH 2019)
Ifield Barn will be back with another Discworld play next March! Sounds
like a wonderfully Discly setting: "The theatre was created from a group
of agricultural buildings and consist of a 700 year old tithe barn which
now forms the auditorium and dressing rooms, a former Granary which
serves as a kitchen and stables which have been converted to an
exhibition room and workshops. All three buildings have been linked by a
modern addition tastefully integrated to form the foyer and theatre bar.
Due to some inspired fund-raising by members many improvements have been
made to the theatre."
When: 6th–9th March 2019
Venue: Ifield Barn Arts Centre, Ifield Street, Ifield, West Sussex.
RH11 0NN
Time: 8pm all evening shows; matinee 9th March 3pm
Tickets: £10 (£8 for members and children), available online at
http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/ifieldbarntheatre or by post or in person
at the venue
http://www.ifieldbarn.co.uk/coming-soon.html
4.2 REVIEWS
ERIC IN ADELAIDE
Reviewed by Ewart Shaw in The Advertiser:
"Please note: non Pratchett lovers, and there may be a few, won't
understand half of this review. Now read on. The story of Eric, pimply
teen demonologist (Sam Tutty, left), and Rincewind the wizard (Chris
Irving) is not one of the greatest Pratchett adventures, but Pamela
Munt's adaptation to the Unseen Theatre Company's house style, has
laughs and thoughts enough to satisfy fans. Director Munt turns up as
Footnote to fill in the narrative gaps, and the cast, almost all of them
Unseen veterans, work hard to put the story across. Hugh O'Connor stands
out as the Lavaeolus, the Discworld Ulysses, and Amy Ford is an
energetic Urgglefloggah. Danny Sag impresses in multiple roles and
Alicia Rabig is a great parrot and creator of planets. Other demons and
denizens are incarnated by Paul Messenger, and Harold Roberts. Special
mention must be made of David Dyte as the carnivorous luggage. There are
some great costumes and technical effects from Michelle Whichello and
Stephen Dean, a bit too much furniture for smooth scene changes, some
neat film bits, and enough Pratchett magic and wisdom to carry the play
along..."
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/arts/good-chemistry-on-stage/news-story/6388a3b2f70723eb35d6afaac0631b89
By Nicola Woolford for Glam Adelaide:
"The Bakehouse Theatre foyer is flooded with red lights and decorated
with demonic motivational posters, such as 'The beatings will not
continue until morale improves'. This perfectly sets the mood for the
devilish adventures to come. Our hero of the evening is the titular
Eric, portrayed by a winningly naive Sam Tutty. Eric is a 13-year-old
aspiring demonologist, who makes a critical error when trying to summon
an all-powerful, wish-granting demon from the depths of Hell. Instead
Eric calls Rincewind, portrayed by the charismatic Chris Irving... The
chemistry between Irving and Tutty is perfect, at times fostering a
touching mentor and protégé relationship, at others a negligent nanny
and spoilt child. Their comedic timing and range is on point. As our two
main characters carry the story forward, Eric boasts a talented cast of
supporting players who undertake multiple roles. These include Alycia
Rabig, Paul Messenger, Aimee Ford, Danny Sag, Harold Roberts, Hugh
O'Connor, and David Dyte. Whether portraying a foul-mouthed Parrot
familiar, the Demon King, the pacifist Captain Lavaeolus, or Death,
these actors are commendable and often hilarious..."
http://www.glamadelaide.com.au/theatre-review-eric/
...and by Christine Pyman for Broadway World:
"Pamela Munt has worked hard with Sir Terry's vision, by adapting,
producing, and directing his written novel into to a two-hour play for
her Unseen Theatre Company. In this story, we are introduced to Eric, a
very typical almost fourteen-year-old boy, one of the Billy Bunter
types, who just happens to be an exceptional demonologist. His talents
gain him the attention of the demon king of Hades, Astfgl, played in a
funnily and frighteningly bureaucratic fashion by Paul Messenger. Astfgl
has a cohort of demons at his apparent beck and call, very ably realised
by Danny Sag, Aimee Ford, and Harold Roberts. The machinations of the
demon host are witty and well played, in every sense... Sam Tutty plays
Eric, our would-be schoolboy Ruler of the World, in an appropriately
petulant manner, demanding his wishes from the unprepossessing
Rincewind, Chris Irving. These two actors are on stage for almost every
scene, forming a continuation of narrative, through an ongoing series of
vignettes. The sheer number of set changes led to a lowness of
production initially, with improved pace for the second act. The use of
pre-recorded video projections shows the attention to detail, and the
passion for these productions, that Unseen brings to their shows... Any
theatre company that can recreate one of Pratchett's most loved
characters, the Luggage, in all of its magical wooden aggression
(cabinet constructed by David Dyte), has my vote of confidence..."
https://www.broadwayworld.com/adelaide/article/BWW-Review-ERIC-at-Bakehouse-Theatre-20181011
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
05) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
The Sir Terry Pratchett Book Club at Waterstones Leeds meets on the
first Tuesday of each month at 6pm in the Cafe W coffee shop (in
Waterstones), to discuss a Pratchett book. "Join us for the most
fabulous Book Club in Leeds. Each month we come together to discuss the
splendid novels of Sir Terry Pratchett. We are a very friendly group and
new people are always welcome!"
The next meeting of the Sir Terry Pratchett Book Club will be on Tuesday
6th November at 6pm at Waterstones, 93-97 Albion Street, Leeds LS1 5JS.
(phone 0113 244 4588). The November book under discussion will be
Diggers, "a wonderful novel, suitable for all ages, featuring the Nomes."
*
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld
Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), will be meeting tonight, Monday 5th
November (remember, remember!) from 7pm 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."
The Drummers' October meet report, by Helen:
"We met Monday night, which seems so long ago. Alex G. told us about his
teacher training and told me off for putting too much salt on my pizza.
I was indignant given that he recently had the Monkey Puzzle's chocolate
pizza and once ate a pizza that was covered in chips.James came along
and I had a nice a chat with him about video games. He recommends the
Monster Hunter series. Then we came to the quiz. Alex G. was quizmaster
and showed his enthusiasm for his new vocation by doing a quiz on
Discworld schools. I suggest he practice classroom discipline by
treating those who were disruptive (Edmund!) like naughty
schoolchildren. He was not keen. Andrew and I technically tied but I was
somehow declared winner for knowing so many alumnae of the Quirm College
for Young Ladies. Towards the end, only a few of us remained when Tom
appeared. He had gone to great lengths to travel to us after working
late. Pete immediately bought him a drink plus a Babycham for himself,
much everyone's fascination. By the end we had a situation where the
gentlemen were discussing Biblical movies, while Marina and I discussed
stage nudity, a conversation that rapidly degenerated. Marina does not
recommend Iggy Pop. The next meeting is Monday 5th November. Also, I'm
looking for ideas for things we could do outside the regular meetings.
I'm less keen to do weekend meets at the Puzzle over the winter as we
can't sit in the garden."
Twitter thread:
https://twitter.com/BrokenDrummers/status/1048497559298351104
For more information, email BrokenDrummers at gmail.com or
nicholls.helen at yahoo.co.uk or join their Facebook group at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/55107511411/permalink/10156634038566412/
*
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."
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. 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 events will both be on Saturday 24th November: the
Hogswatch in Grune Dinner at the Astor Hotel in the Pulteney Room, 437
Pulteney Street, Adelaide, South Australia 5000 (go to
https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=412755& to book) followed by
the Martin Pearson House Concert – The Secret Origins of Humpty Dumpty
and other songs at Kochanski Mews, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095 (go to
https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=427177& to book).
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! 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 December (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
December (possibly) 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
December (possibly) 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, meet
next on Monday 3rd December (possibly) 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>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
06) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
Paul Kidby's concept art for The Watch telly series:
http://narrativia.com/assets/img/watch-logo.jpg
The Librarian himself, carved into a seasonal pumpkin by the amazing
Mediumawareness:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dqvvv_-WwAEO4uD.jpg
"Avaunt, demon!" Eric holds Rincewind at by – he thinks – in Unseen
Theatre's production:
https://bit.ly/2Aih1ih
...and Astfgl, demon Duke of Hell, as iconographed by director Pamela
Munt: https://bit.ly/2CqHBqV
The impressive cast of Men at Arms in Brisbane Arts Centre's recent
production, as posted by Danny Sag:
https://bit.ly/2yL1Egp
A lovely still of Aziraphale and Crowley in St James' Park, from the
filming of Good Omens:
https://bit.ly/2qrPgOs
...and the wonderful promo art for Good Omens at New York Comic Con, as
posted by SyfyWire:
https://bit.ly/2yRff6R
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
07) CLOSE
To finish, here be a little piece of Roundworld Tales that might strike
TAMAHER fans as strangely familiar: "A US wildlife centre has saved five
young gray squirrels after their tails became dangerously fused
together. The siblings had become entangled with the grass and plastic
strips their mother used to build the family nest. They were handed in
at the Wisconsin Humane Society's Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, which
worked to save their tails and possibly their lives. The five were cut
free with scissors while under anaesthetic..."
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45545179
And finally, while Pratchett references have become commonplace around
the world now, occasionally one comes across one in a very unexpected
place that makes it worth sharing – such as this one, from a sport-pages
review of Liverpool footballer James Milner's performance in a match:
"Such was his level of concentration and the aura of absolute certainty
that if he had a hypothetical staring contest with Terry Pratchett's
personification of hollow-eyed Death, the latter would blink first." Sweet!
And that's it for October, er, Sektober, and also it for Your Editor
who's going for yet another lie-down. Take care, and we hope to see you
in a few weeks!
– Annie Mac
This issue can be viewed on the clacks at
https://wossname.dreamwidth.org/67041.html
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner
(at) pearwood (dot) info
More information about the Wossname
mailing list