Wossname – August 2019 – Main issue
News and reviews about the works of Sir Terry Pratchett
wossname at pearwood.info
Mon Sep 2 11:28:35 AEST 2019
Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
August 2019 (Volume 22, Issue 8, 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) MORE GOOD OMENS BITS AND BOBS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
07) ROUNDWORLD TALES
08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
09) CLOSE
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
"I wrote the theme, they came up to my room, and I had that horrible
moment when you have to play it for them and hope they don't hate it.
Neil just turned around and said, 'Well, that's Good Omens,' and I
remember saying, 'I'm glad you like it, because I haven't got a Plan B.'
From that point on, we were just flying."
– Good Omens score composer David Arnold on how the series' marvellous
theme tune came to be
"You know, it's when people who proclaim themselves as 'white
supremacists' turn off Good Omens after the first few minutes, and then
come on Twitter to tell me off, that I think sometimes a negative review
is a marvelous and heartwarming thing."
– Neil Gaiman, on Twitter
"I don't know how anyone could come to any conclusion other than that
Aziraphale and Crowley are nonbinary, asexual partners who have been
together and falling in love for over 6,000 years."
– web journalist S E Fleener
"Adam decides that instead of being the Antichrist, hurting and
controlling his friends, and destroying the planet, he just wants to be
a normal kid. He wants to be soft and playful and love his dog. He wants
to be himself, not some monstrous dictator his friends fear. So, he
rejects his biological father, Satan, calling the father who raised him
his true dad. It's a beautifully feminist moment that says we control
our own fates – and demonstrates that not everyone would rather have
power than love."
– ibid
"I just learned that Good Omens is on the @nytbestsellers_ paperback
list. I wish Terry was still here. Good Omens had never made it onto the
NYT list in 30 years, and he would have been happy and, I think, satisfied."
– Neil Gaiman, well chuffed and rightly so, on Twitter
"Just to be clear (since I'm asked this a lot) I am not working on The
Watch TV series, and haven't been for many years. The show is under the
creative control of BBC Studios."
– Rhianna Pratchett diplomatically points out a certain distance between
herself and this series
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
The August issue is a wee bit late this month, owing to yet more medical
hijinks at the Fortress of Wossname: pneumonia struck the Other Half
(he's much better now), and my long, slow recovery from a feral case of
Official Aussie Flu means I've not been able to concentrate for long on
collating and editing Wossname news (this is also my apology for any
slips or glitches in this issue). For those of you in the parts of
Roundworld who are now edging into Autumn, may I recommend that you get
flu shots? I didn't, and am rather regretting it now...
A few quick mentions: Good Omens nominated for three categories in the
Emmys (sadly not for any of the cast and crew), and Stephen Briggs has
announced on Twitter that he has "now sent the texts for my
dramatizations of 'Hogfather', 'Lords & Ladies' and 'Terry Pratchett:
the Shakespeare Codex', to the publishers. If all goes according to
their plan, those may get published around December."
And now, on with the show!
– Annie Mac, Editor
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
03) ODDS AND SODS
3.0 A CASTING FOR THE WATCH
An "exclusive" from Deadline.com:
"The Watch, BBC America's eight-episode series based on Terry
Pratchett's Discworld novels, has cast its first main character. British
actor Adam Hugill (Pennyworth) has landed one of the lead roles in the
series, playing Carrot. Described as a 'punk rock thriller' inspired by
the City Watch subset of Discworld novels, the character-driven series
centers on 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..."
https://deadline.com/2019/08/the-watch-bbc-america-series-terry-pratchett-discworld-adam-hugill-cast-carrot-1202707717/
3.1a PRATCHETT HACKED IN DUBLIN
Exciting news from Trinity College Dublin:
"The Pratchett Project team at Trinity College Dublin is organising a
hackathon to get fans of Terry Pratchett involved in the research they
are doing. In this full-day event, you're invited to bring your laptop
to Trinity to get to grips with some quantitative research on the
publication history of Pratchett's work around the world. You don't need
to be a Pratchett fan to come along. Anybody with an interest in digital
humanities will enjoy this. The day will also feature interviews with
some special guests who worked closely with Pratchett during his life,
and you will have the chance to ask your questions too! Registration is
free, but places are limited. So booking is a must. This event is going
to be popular. So make sure you get your ticket early!"
When: Saturday 21st September 2019
Venue: Trinity Long Room Hub, College Green, Dublin 2
Time: 10am – 5pm
Tickets: free; to register for tickets, go to
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/terry-pratchett-hackathon-tickets-62640704032
and click on the green Register button
3.1b ...AND FOUND IN TRANSLATION
Another event at TCD in the same week!
"In celebration of the European Day of Languages, join us for an
exploration of how comic fantasy author, Terry Pratchett's famous
discworld novels are translated. This event, organised by EUNIC
(European Union National Institutes for Culture) and Trinity Centre for
Literary and Cultural Translation, and generously supported by ESSE
(European Society for the Study of English), will focus on the plays on
words that run throughout Pratchett's Discworld series. We will be
joined by many of Pratchett's translators, to discuss how each one of
them tackled the same challenges in their own languages. We are inviting
Pratchett translators working in the following languages:
French (trans. Patrick Couton)
Hungarian (Anikó Sohár)
Polish (Piotr W. Cholewa)
Spanish (María Ferrer)
In this event, our discussion will focus on translating the comedy and
plays on words found in Pyramids. Admittance is free, but booking a seat
is a must."
When: Thursday, 26th September 2019
Venue: Examinations Hall, Trinity College Dublin
Time: 6pm – 7.30pm
Tickets: free; to register for tickets, go to
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/pratchett-translated-tickets-63435853345?aff=efbeventtix
and click on the green Register button
3.2 TROLL BRIDGE IN FOURECKS... AND BEYOND
Snowgum Films' long-awaited film "Troll Bridge" is having its Adelaide
premiere in September, presented by the City of Small Gods Terry
Pratchett Fan Club: "See Terry Pratchett's Discworld brought to life on
the big screen in this epic fan film lovingly created by Snowgum Films.
This is your only opportunity to see Troll Bridge on the big screen in
Adelaide, so don't miss out!" Also on the bill is "Run, Rincewind Run!",
the now-legendary Discworld Convention fan film. Any profits from the
screening will be donated to the Women's and Children's Hospital Foundation.
When: 21st September 2019
Venue: Mercury Cinema, 13 Morphett St, Adelaide, South Australia 5000
Time: 7:30pm
Tickets: $17 plus booking fee via Book Now button on
https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?embed&eid=524929 or $20 at the door
Some other showings around Australia include Canberra Short Film
Festival (15th September, details/booking at
_https://www.csff.com.au/_), Oz Comic Con in Sydney (28th September,
details/booking at _https://ozcomiccon.com/sydney/_), and Brisbane
International Film Festival (13th October, details/booking at
_https://biff.com.au/event/troll-bridge/_). There are also various
international screenings; for more details, go to:
http://www.trollbridge.film/screenings
3.3 THE MERCH CORNER
Editor's note: I'm hoping to get the first item for Hogswatch, and
already have the second one so I can recommend it wholeheartedly. The
stamps are beautiful and elegantly presented, and the included receipt
from the Thieves' Guild was a nice touch.
* The Mended Drum Jigsaw Puzzle
A definite must-have! In riotous colour, midway between Kidby and Kirby
in style (and not quite like Player or Simonetti or McLaren but on a
continuinuinuum that contains all the great Discworld artists), David
Wyatt's illustrations bring the Drum to wonderful life "Our Fiendishly
Difficult Discworld Jigsaw puzzle packs as much punch as the clientele
of Ankh-Morpork's notorious tavern, and contains more bits and pieces
than the chunder on the cobbles – it'll make you so drunk with
puzzlement you may need a Klatchian coffee to sober up again afterwards!
In our third Discworld puzzle illustrated by David Wyatt, you'll spot a
host of familiar faces from Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, such as
Sgt. Angua of the City Watch, Rincewind, the Luggage, Lu-Tze and the
Librarian, amid a melting pot of the glod, the bad and the ugly of
Ankh-Morpork – it really is a pub with personality! Each puzzle includes
a fold out poster to assist your puzzling endeavours and is presented in
a splendid illustrated ledger box that will look right at home on your
bookshelves."
Each Mended Drum Jigsaw Puzzle is rated "mildly fiendish", measures
approximately 70 x 50cm when completed (puzzle box measures 20.5 x 25.6
x 6.3cm), and is priced at £19.50 plus shipping. For more information
and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/games-toys/556-the-mended-drum-jigsaw-puzzle
There is also an interesting blog entry about the process of creating
this puzzle: "The Drum has been a fixture of Discworld since the very
beginning, and although it's undergone one or two notable… renovations…
it remains the tavern of choice for the Glod, the bad and the ugly of
Morporkian society. From The Colour of Magic, when the Broken Drum had
to hire Detritus as a splatter (like a bouncer, but trolls use more
force) to its last appearance in Going Postal when a group of seasoned
brawlers are seen discussing the finer points of fight choreography, the
Drum has withstood time and narrative, its characterful clientele and
their exploits remain just as fervent. We wanted to cram in as many
details and allusions as possible, spanning the depth and breadth of the
Drum's illustrious history. With that in mind, should you choose to
avail yourself of this piece, we challenge you to spot the following
familiar faces and devilish details from Ankh-Morpork's favourite pub...
A Wizzard, CMOT Dibbler, Death, Cohen the Barbarian, Dotsie and Sadie
the Agony Aunts, Sgt. Angua, The Librarian, The Dean, The Senior
Wrangler, Adora Belle Dearheart, Foul Ole Ron, Lu-Tze the Sweeper
Gaspode the Wonder Dog, The Luggage, Igor, Reg Shoe, The head of the
Thieves' Guild, A certain author's black hat, A fool, An Assassin, A
Vampire, Goblins, A Troll, Dwarfs, The Band With Rocks In poster, A Game
of Thud, A Swamp Dragon, and advert for Vimes' cigar of choice, An
Iconograph, The Ankh-Morpork times, Someone who should ‘learn the
words', at least four Discworld beers..."
Do read the whole piece:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/blog/illustrating-the-mended-drum-n8
* The Going Postal 15th Anniversary Minisheet
Another must-have, in living colour! "A limited edition minisheet of
stamps featuring a stunning new portrait of The Creator himself, Sir
Terry Pratchett, in celebration of fifteen flatelic years of Going
Postal and Discworld Stamps! To mark such a milestone year we
commissioned a very special portrait of Terry by stamp artist and master
of technical illustration Brian Delf. Terry's noble profile features on
this exquisite limited edition Anniversary Minisheet featuring fifteen
'Penny Pratchett' stamps in various birthday colourways. presented in a
presentation cover featuring Terry's portrait embossed in silver.
Traditionally printed on authentic gummed stamp paper & perforated by
hand." And you want to be quick about ordering this one, as it's a
limited edition of only 300!
Each Minisheet measures 77 x 157mm (presentation cover measures 90 x
170mm) and is priced at £15. For more information and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/discworld-stamps/577-discworld-stamps-anniversary-minisheet
3.4 DISCWORLD AND BEYOND IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Paul Kidby's Discworld & Beyond touring exhibition will be opening in
Co. Antrim next month!
"The beautifully realised paintings and drawings feature many of Paul's
favourite characters including Rincewind, the Wee Free Men and, of
course, Death along with a host of witches, wizards, dragons and trolls.
It also reveals some of Paul's own work from his Charmed Realm
collection, a book created by Paul and his wife Vanessa of myth and
faerie influenced by British folklore and landscapes. All his
illustrations are marked by a staggering quality of draughtsmanship and
effective use of colour; bright for the book covers and muted shades for
his faerie paintings. The exhibition brings to life the quirky
characters and trademark humour of Sir Terry's books. Paul said, ‘It has
been really exciting selecting some of my favourite paintings for the
‘Discworld & Beyond' exhibition. Visitors will be able to see many of
their favourite Discworld illustrations up close and personal and
celebrate the wonderful legacy of a great author who has inspired so
many, including me!'"
When: 6th September 2019–31st October 2019
Venue: Larne Museum & Arts Centre, 2 Victoria Road, Larne, County
Antrim, BT40 1RN
Time: Monday through Friday, 10am–4.30pm. The Museum is also open on one
Saturday per month – for more information, ring 028 28 262443 or email
marian.kelso at midandeastantrim.gov.uk
Tickets: free entry
https://www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/things-to-do/museums-arts/larne-museum-and-arts-centre
https://www.paulkidby.com/event/discworld-beyond-a-paul-kidby-retrospective/
Editor's note: the exhibition also includes a one-time free screening of
Troll Bridge on Saturday 7th September at 3pm. For more details, go to
https://www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/events/screening-of-troll-bridge
3.5 WHEN STICKS AND BUCKETS ATTACK!
In the runner-up for Weird Link of the Month (see item 3.6 below), The
Wild Hunt, a "Modern Pagan News & Commentary" site, describes a planned
London protest march... by Morris dancers! From Liz Williams:
"Furious Morris dancers are planning a march on Parliament this month in
order to protest about a proposed Bank Holiday switch by the British
government. Currently, the May bank holiday is the focus of a number of
celebrations: political, seasonal and social. May 1st is Beltane,
celebrated in a number of ways by Britain's Pagans and others – it is
the scene of festivities around the country – but it also coincides with
International Workers' Day. However, there is now a proposal to scrap
this ‘early' May holiday and replace it with one on the following
Friday... This change has been met with dismay by groups around the
country, who have already established festivities on the earlier date.
Some of these are very extensive, such as the Sweeps Festival in
Rochester. This is a big event: Morris dancers, folk-art and live music
attract an estimated 150,000 people and generates £60 million for the
local economy. The Morris sides, in particular, are not happy about the
proposed alteration... Mel Barnett from Medway's Wolf's Head and Vixen
dancers (a Morris side well known to pagans in the UK as they often
appear at Beltane and Samhain events) says, 'We are passionate about
Sweeps. It is the highlight of our calendar. This switch could be
disastrous for us.'..."
https://wildhunt.org/2019/07/morris-dancers-march-on-uk-parliament.html
3.6 WEIRD LINK OF THE MONTH: PERCEIVING OCTARINE IN ROUNDWORLD
A fascinating piece about "the colour of magic in office design", by
Mark Eltringham for Workplace Insight:
~In the Discworld series of novels, the author Terry Pratchett
introduces us to the colour of magic. He calls it octarine, a sort of
greenish purple, described as ‘the undisputed pigment of the
imagination'. It's all fanciful but, in fact, such unseeable colours
exist for the human eye. They are seemingly invisible to us most of the
time because of the limitations of our vision and not just because they
exist outside of the usual visible spectrum. Compared to many other
animals, the typical human eye is only capable of perceiving light
across a narrow band of wavelengths of somewhere between 390 and 750
nanometers. That is why we cannot see in certain bands of the infrared
and ultra-violet spectrum. Yet there are other colours that exist within
this range but which we are usually physically unable to perceive for
most of the time. These are what researchers call the forbidden colours,
which we tend to describe in relation to other colours, although that
does not do them justice because it suggests they are in some way
comparable to the tones and colour mixes with which we are familiar..."
https://workplaceinsight.net/the-colour-of-magic-in-office-design/
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
04) MORE GOOD OMENS BITS AND BOBS
4.1. GOOD OMENS SOUNDTRACK NOW AVAILABLE!
As you know well by now, your Editor flatly refuses to post any links to
the company of a certain Evil Internet-based Villain of Commerce-related
Global Domination, so here are some alternate sellers who can help you
with your purchases...
On vinyl:
From Recordstore (UK): "Composer David Arnold's soundtrack to the
highly anticipated TV adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's
1990 comic fable makes its debut on vinyl. Amazon Prime's six episode
mini-series follows the odd couple, angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and
demon Crowley (David Tennant) in their quest to sabotage the end of the
World, delivering a tongue in cheek adaptation of this powerful and
funny story. From David Arnold, the award-winning composer of Sherlock
and Casino Royale, comes a soundtrack that perfectly complements Good
Omens' drama and visual sensibilities. At times nostalgic and eerie but
always varied, beautiful and full of excitement, this robust, yet funny
music entity has become another character in the story. Here, Arnold has
created a contemporary soundworld for heaven and hell. Tori Amos
performs A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square as a closing song."
The Limited Edition Heavenly Blue & Hellish Red Double Vinyl package is
priced at £23.99. To order, go to https://bit.ly/2zpB7pw
The vinyl set is also available from Norman Records, who say "Good Omens
has that Stranger Things/Sabrina vibe to it where it's kind of spooky
and kind of campy at the same time, and Arnold's compositions really add
to the effect. Nice stuff with a hint of the Harry Potters about it.
Silva Screen are the ones responsible for putting the music on wax."
Priced at £24.49 with a shipping cost of £4.50, the link for purchase is
https://bit.ly/342Y00j
On CD:
From Hello Merch (USA): "Following the odd couple, angel Aziraphale
(Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tennant) in their quest to
sabotage the end of the World. Amazon Prime's six episode miniseries
delivers a tongue in cheek adaptation of this powerful and funny story.
From the Award-winning composer of Sherlock and Casino Royale comes a
soundtrack that perfectly complements the Good Omens' drama and visual
sensibilities. At times nostalgic and eerie but always varied, beautiful
and full of excitement, this robust, yet funny music entity has become
another character in the story. Here, Arnold has created a contemporary
soundworld for heaven and hell."
The two-CD set includes all 62 tracks from the series and is priced at
US$25. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.hellomerch.com/products/good-omens-soundtrack-cd
Also note that Silva Screen offer the entire soundtrack for streaming or
download, if you don't want to wait for physical copies!
http://www.silvascreen.com/good-omens-soundtrack-now-available/
...and for those of you who prefer your theme music "DIY", here be a
free download of the theme tune from beckyy on Musescore:
https://musescore.com/user/7649801/scores/5607410
4.2 REVIEWS
A review of the original novel, by Colin Steele in the Canberra Times:
"Good Omens, published in 1990, is a cult classic. It has sold over five
million copies and is now an Amazon/ BBC television series scripted by
Neil Gaiman, who wrote in 2006 that 'the book is a funny novel about the
end of the world and how are all going to die'. But it is not just a
great story. It is a book of Swiftian satire infused with an ultimate
belief in the essential decency of human nature... The new hardback
edition comes with 12 full-colour illustrations of the characters in the
TV series and five black and white line drawings by long time Pratchett
Illustrator Paul Kidby. Michael Sheen is the prudish, antiquarian
bookseller angel, Aziraphale and David Tennant the cynical, yet
softhearted, Bentley driving, demon Crowley... The satire and humour of
Good Omens is as vibrant as ever, as indeed are issues like climate
change... My signed copy of the first edition of Good Omens, with
annotations by Pratchett and Gaiman, now resides in the rare book
collection of the University of Sydney Library. It was interesting, in
their separate Meet the Author events in Canberra, how they jousted over
their role in the writing of Good Omens. Gaiman recounts, in the
Foreword, bizarre happenings with fans at book signings, including one
fan who had his arm signed and returned half an hour later to show the
inflamed ink signature tattooed by a nearby parlour..."
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6280637/terry-pratchetts-good-omens-is-still-a-classic/
An articulate review of the Good Omens miniseries by blogger Theo Wolf:
"When it was announced earlier this year that the classic and
"unfilmable" book was getting the television treatment it finally
deserved, it seemed as big as TV news got... Michael Sheen and David
Tennant shine as an angel and a demon on a comical campaign to keep the
world from ending. Tennant's portrayal of the demon Crowley, the
sunglass-wearing angel who 'did not so much Fall as Saunter Vaguely
Downwards', is absolutely superb. His performance is the perfect
combination of swagger, eccentricity, and borderline drunkenness, which
is reminiscent of Bill Nighy in Love Actually and, in my opinion,
captured the character's essence to a tee. Sheen too is wonderful,
countering this bravado as the awkward and prudish angel Aziraphale.
Both actors fully commit to their roles and it is hard to imagine better
casting, not least because they gamely wear multiple silly costumes. The
co-production between the BBC and Amazon also benefited from piquant
performances by veteran actors. The great Bill Patterson is at his
bemused best as the exasperated Mr. R. P. Tyler, and Derek Jacobi, no
less, has a cameo as God's Spokesman, Metatron (not to be confused with
the leader of the Deceptions, an easy mistake to make if your name is
Pepper Galadriel Moonchild). Michael McKean and Miranda Richardson are
also supremely fun to watch as the aging witchfinder, Shadwell, and his
accommodating landlady, Madame Tracy. Jon Hamm of Mad Men fame also
nailed every fleeting moment he had as Aziraphale's Armageddon-happy
boss Gabriel. Although making only the occasional appearance, the show
truly benefitted from his scenes. The third episode's pre-credit scene,
which showed the co-conspirators' meetings through the ages, was quite
possibly the show's standout moment. The amusing sequence runs a
stonking 30 minutes long and follows the pair from an early run-in as
Noah is constructing his ark (where we learn why the unicorn no longer
exist), through to a rendezvous during the French Revolution. It also
treats viewers to the sight of Crowley hopping over consecrated ground
to save his friend like a person walking barefoot on hot sand, this
funny moment in their history was in many ways one of the most endearing
of the show. The pre-credit scene also features three of the four League
of Gentlemen (Jeremy Dyson was nowhere to be seen), which is never a bad
thing... Good Omens proved to be a hugely enjoyable and imaginative
premiere, which remained as true to Pratchett's vision as I could have
dared dream..."
https://theboar.org/2019/07/bbc-and-amazons-good-omens-review/
Good Omens as a feminist tract, by S E Fleenor on SyFywire:
"The satirical series has garnered intense reactions from audiences. In
fact, according to USA Today, 15,000 people signed a petition to have
the series canceled. (The petition has since been deleted.) Instead of
addressing the actual platform for the series, Amazon, the petition was
addressed to Netflix, which responded on Twitter, 'ok we promise not to
make any more.' The people who signed the petition were upset by many
things including what most of us would call representation in the
series. After all, God is voiced by Frances McDormand – A WOMAN?!?! –
and Adam and Eve are portrayed as the first humans would have been: as a
Black couple. It is not surprising that trolls were infuriated by these
concepts. One, in particular, took to Twitter to tell Gaiman off, not
understanding how few f**** Gaiman gives.... Gaiman's works frequently
feature feminist themes – which is not to say there aren't also
problematic elements – and seeing him make such a bold, progressive
comment in response to vitriol only accentuates the series' feminist
lens. Besides, for every person who hates the series, there are many,
many more who have loved it. It's not hard to see why. The humor in the
series is just the right mixture of absurd, insightful, and British. The
storylines are varied and yet culminate in a tight, satisfying
conclusion. The delightful and wicked commentary on the Christian
apocalypse is by no means subtle, but by all means revelatory, if you
will forgive the pun. Not least of all, Michael Sheen and David Tennant
give truly fantastic performances, as does just about everyone in this
star-studded series; notably, Sam Taylor Buck delivers an
eleven-year-old Antichrist that is both terrifying and adorable.
"What's really cool about the series is its persistent feminist and
queer undertones, something desperately missing from the Christian
apocalypse elsewhere. Fundamentally, the apocalypse imagined in
Revelations and other Christian myths – and parodied in the series – is
a patriarchal one. (Is there such thing as a feminist apocalypse? IDK,
but Good Omens gets close.)... The most obviously queer and feminist
aspects of the series are Aziraphale and Crowley and the relationship
between them. Both characters embody paradoxes. Aziraphale is an angel
who loves to eat and drink, who loves the carnality of humanity. Crowley
is a demon who would like to keep his distance from mayhem ever since he
got caught up in Lucifer's rebellion. But, instead of being narrowly
defined by the realities created for them, Aziraphale and Crowley engage
in an act of forming themselves. They read, they appreciate music, they
drink fine wines, and they scheme. Oh, do they scheme. Most importantly
the two share a tender dandy love that is obviously queer, whether or
not they would ascribe to any LGBTQ label. On top of that, considering
that angels are not born, but created, and have no need of reproductive
organs, it's safe to say that they are nonbinary at least in a very
literal sense (as is true to the novel), and perhaps socially and
physically as well. For instance, Crowley seems as comfortable dressed
as Crowley Poppins as he does Crowley Bowie. It doesn't matter how femme
or not his appearance is. It doesn't matter if he's wearing a skirt or
sporting a wig. He's always swaggering in his full gender-defying glory.
At first, the queerness feels like subtext, like another time queer
audiences have to read between the lines to see the love we so often
wish for, but it's hard to miss the genuine love and commitment between
Aziraphale and Crowley. There's an interaction so tender – and a line so
potently delivered by Sheen that it will make your heart flutter and
sink – that calling their love subtext feels impossible. Aziraphale has
just provided Crowley with holy water so that if he decides he must,
Crowley can end his existence. Aziraphale isn't exactly happy about it,
but he'd rather help Crowley than see him get hurt trying to steal holy
water. An enthused Crowley offers Aziraphale a ride. 'Perhaps one day we
could, I don't know, go for a picnic. Dine at the Ritz,' Aziraphale says
tentatively. 'Anywhere you want to go, I'll take you,' Crowley replies.
'You go too fast for me, Crowley,' Aziraphale says before exiting the
car. It's a short exchange, but it is so tense, so emotionally-charged,
so filled with love and hesitation and desire that I don't know how
anyone could come to any conclusion other than that Aziraphale and
Crowley are nonbinary, asexual partners who have been together and
falling in love for over 6,000 years. And, since Sheen and Tennant both
came to similar conclusions (and Gaiman confirmed their love), I'm
sticking to it..."
https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/good-omens-puts-a-feminist-and-queer-twist-on-the-apocalypse
Good Omens, the original book, reviewed in interview style on Brinkwire:
"Who is it aimed at? *When reading I often have a clue as to what group
of people a book is more suited to right away, but with the intense
almost inhuman nature of this book, I think it's something that could be
read by practically anyone.
"What did you enjoy most about it? *Out of the many reasons I loved Good
Omens, If I had to choose my favourite part it would be how many unique
and often unbelievable plot points it was able to make seem so
effortlessly normal and easy to understand.
"What did you enjoy least? *When I adore a book as much as I now do this
one, it's near impossible to write this section of my review but if I
could change one thing about Good Omens I could change, I felt like it
was so fast-paced that I would have loved to be able to savour some of
it more..."
https://en.brinkwire.com/news/young-adult-book-review-good-omens-by-terry-pratchett-and-neil-gaiman/
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
05) 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.
5.1 DISCWORLD PLAYS
* MASKERADE IN BRISBANE (SEPTEMBER)
Brisbane Arts Theatre continue their justified love affair with
Discworld plays with a new production of Maskerade!
When: 14th September–12th October 2019 (Thursdays through Sundays)
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace, QLD 4000
Time: all Thursday shows 7.30pm, all Friday and Saturday shows 8pm, all
Sunday shows 6.30pm
Tickets: $23–34, available online at https://bit.ly/2IOWLdw or via the
box office (phone (07) 3369 2344)
https://www.artstheatre.com.au/maskerade
* MORT IN CANBERRA (ISH), FOURECKS (SEPTEMBER)
The Musical and Stage Performance students and the Live Production &
Services students of Gungahlin College are staging their production of
Mort in September!
"The students have found excitement and adventure as they explore the
comic timing of this fun script, not to mention working out ways to help
Death SPEAK IN A CAPITALISED TONE!"
When: 17th–21st September 2019
Venue: Gungahlin College Theatre, 23 Gozzard Street, Gungahlin, ACT
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: Adult $20, Concession $15, Family $55, available online via
https://stagecenta.com/BkShowBooking.aspx?showid=5424
There will be a Dinner Show on Thursday 19th September, including a
3-course meal for $30/person (not including ticket price). "Please book
your tickets... then email Adam Salter [at]
mailto:adam..salter at ed.act.edu.au?subject=Dinner%20Show to book your
seat at the table. Places are limited, so get in quick!"
https://stagecenta.com/showid/5424/ShowdetailsC.aspx
* THE FIFTH ELEPHANT IN SCUNTHORPE (OCTOBER)
Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club will stage their production of The Fifth
Elephant in October!
"In Stephen Briggs' brilliant adaptation of Terry Pratchett's ‘The Fifth
Elephant', Commander Vimes is sent to wild, wintry Uberwald to establish
trade links with the King of the Dwarfs, but ends up trying to stop an
inter-species war. On his side, a talking dog, a reformed Vampyre and a
self-made man. You can tell he's self-made because the stitches still
show. However, although Vimes may have arrived as Ankh-Morpork's
ambassador, he soon finds it's not all golden chocolate balls. Before
long he's an escaped prisoner, out in the icy woods, wearing only the
gloomy trousers of Uncle Vanya and being chased by a pack of fascist
werewolves who don't play by the rules."
When: 2nd-5th October 2019
Venue: Plowright Theatre, Laneham Street, Scunthorpe, Lincs DN15 6JP
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £11.90 plus £2.50 booking fee, available online via
https://www.littletheatreclub.co.uk/#!/page_EVENTS -- or take advantage
of a special "two tickets for £13.40" offer in the area: "Look out for
our flyers around town and at the Plowright Theatre, there is a special
booking form on the back. Please note this offer is only available
direct from Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club, and not the Plowright Box
Office."
https://www.littletheatreclub.co.uk/
* MASKERADE IN ELTHAM[1] (OCTOBER)
Eldorado Musical Productions will be staging their production of
Maskerade in October!
When: 9th–12th October 2019
Venue: Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road, Eltham SE9 5TG (box office
phone 0208 850 3702)
Time: 7.45pm all evening shows; matinee at 2.30pm on the 12th
Tickets: £15 (£13 on opening night), not yet available but will be via
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/bob-hope-theatre and from the Box Office
which is open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10am–1pm.
http://www.eldoradomusicalproductions.co.uk/maskerade/4594338795
[1] Note for Fourecksians: that's Eltham in Greater London, not the one
in Melbourne – Ed.
* GOING POSTAL IN EMERALD, FOURECKS (OCTOBER)
The Gemco Players will present their production of Going Postal in
October! "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: 11th–26th October 2019 (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only)
Venue: Gem Community Arts Centre, 19 Kilvington Drive, Emerald, VIC 3782
Time: all Friday and Saturday shows 8pm; Sunday matinees 2pm
Tickets: prices TBA. Tickets will be available online via
https://www.trybooking.com/BAGWG from 9pm on 11th August
https://gemco-players.squarespace.com/whatson/2018/12/5/going-postal
* WITCHES ABROAD IN LISMORE, FOURECKS (OCTOBER)
The Lismore Theatre Company are taking on the Lancre not-really-a-coven
in their production of Witches Abroad! "Three country witches find
themselves reluctantly taking on the roles of collective Godmother to a
kitchen maid in far-off Genua. But they have to stop her from marrying
the Prince, and while they're at it, end the tyranny of the girl's Other
Godmother. Of course, first they have to get to Genua, and that itself
is an adventure…"
When: 11th–20th October 2019
Venue: Rochdale Theatre, 603 Ballina Rd, Goonellabah, New South Wales 2480
Time: 7.30pm all evening shows; 2pm matinee on Sunday 13th and Sunday 20th
Tickets: $23 adult, $17 concessions and Lismore Theatre Company members,
available via https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=530195
https://www.lismoretheatrecompany.org.au/current-production
* JOHNNY AND THE DEAD IN LEEDS (NOVEMBER)
Leeds Children's Theatre will be presenting their production of Johnny
and the Dead in November! "Sell the cemetery? Over their dead bodies ...
Not many people can see the dead (not many would want to).
Twelve-year-old Johnny Maxwell can. And he's got bad news for them: the
council want to sell the cemetery as a building site, but they'd better
watch out – the dead have learnt a thing or two from Johnny. They're not
going to take it lying down ...especially since it's Halloween tomorrow.
Besides, they're beginning to find that life is a lot more fun than it
was when they were ... well ... alive. Particularly if they break a few
rules."
When: 6th–9th November 2019
Venue: Carriageworks Theatre main auditorium, Millennium Square, Leeds
LS2 3AD
Time: all evening shows (Wednesday through Friday) 7pm, Saturday matinee
1pm and afternoon show 5.30pm
Tickets: adults £14.50, concessions £12.50, under-16s £10.50, family
£46, available from the Box Office (phone 0113 376 0318; address Leeds
Town Hall, The Headroom, LS1 3AD, open 10am–6pm Monday to Saturday), or
by by email (boxoffice at leeds.gov.uk), or online via the theatre's
website, although their calendar doesn't yet stretch to November:
https://www.carriageworkstheatre.co.uk/plan-your-visit/how-to-book-tickets/
"The Box Office will charge a fee for postage if you wish to have your
tickets mailed out. Family Tickets, restricted view seats and special
offers are rarely sold online and should be purchased over the phone or
in person."
www.leeds-childrens-theatre.co.uk
* GOING POSTAL IN ADELAIDE, FOURECKS
Unseen Theatre are back with a new Discworld production! This November,
it's Going Postal: "Convicted con man and forger Moist von Lipwig is
given a choice. The hangman 's noose or get Ankh-Morpork's ancient post
office up and running efficiently! It was a tough decision...Now the
former criminal is up against really big problems. There's tons of
undelivered mail. Ghosts are talking to him. One of the postmen is
18,000 years old. And you really wouldn't want to know what his new
girlfriend can do with a shoe. To top it all off, shadowy characters
don't want the mail moved. Instead, they want him dead... deader than
all those dead letters. And here he'd thought that all he'd have to face
was rain, snow, gloom of night, and the odd vicious dog or two."
When: 20th–30th November 2019
Venue: Bakehouse Main Theatre, 255 Angas Street, Adelaide, South
Australia 5000
Time: 8pm all shows
Tickets: Adults $22, Conc $18, Fringe Benefits $16, Groups (6+) $16,
Preview night (20th November) $16, all available soon
http://www.bakehousetheatre.com/shows/going-postal
5.2 REVIEWS
* MEN AT ARMS IN CARDIFF
By Melissa Compton for the Cardiff Times:
"Characterization was outstanding, with many character's roles in the
night beginning pre-show such as the crowd-pleasing clowns. The cast
clearly loved the roles they played, excellent teamwork was also on
display throughout the performance both during scenes and with changing
sets... The performance was played out in scenes and narration which
were indicated by the ringing of the bell, and a change in lighting. The
introduction of the show's principle characters at the beginning was
very useful if you haven't read the book. A raffle was held in the
interval, which was led by the clowns and Dr Whiteface, with proceeds
going to Nerve Tumours UK. There are a few character's in the production
that are villainised, the stern and authoritative Dr Whiteface is one of
these as the head of the clown guild. The cast delivered emotional and
passionate performances, especially Captain Vimes, from whom we see a
range of emotions, ranging from worrying about retirement to protecting
the one's he cares about most..."
https://bit.ly/2L4zove
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld
Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), will next meet on Monday 2nd
September at
7pm at The Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.
The Drummers' August meet report, as tweeted by Helen: "We had a smaller
gathering Monday night. Some of us had been in Leeds the day before.
After a long drive home, Andrew didn't feel like going out again but I
came along as did Pete, who I had last seen less than 24 hours earlier.
Chris had lovingly created a quiz so intricate that we decided to save
it for next time. I did not want others to regret having missed it. We
had some very historical discussions on the Wars of the Roses. Chris is
extremely keen on Richard III. Somehow that led to the Horrible
Histories movie and the signing of the Viking song (Literally!), the
Four Georges song and the Evil Emperor Emperors song, all of which can
be found on YouTube (also check out Norman Style). We further discussed
the passing of Paul Darrow, which led us on to Terry's intense dislike
of Blakes 7... also learned that Paul Darrow was in an adaptation of
Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers. This is available on
YouTube, I watched the whole thing Tuesday morning."
https://twitter.com/BrokenDrummers/status/1159196903231447043
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, apart from the Troll Bridge Adelaide premiere (see
item 3.2 above), will be the Monthly Dinner ("with special visitors!")
at the Seven Stars Hotel on the 26th of September, a discussion of
Moving Pictures, at Kappy's Tea and Coffee on 5th October, a Board Games
day on the 6th at La Scala Cafe, 169 Unley Rd, Unley in the function
room (starting at 10am), and a new Quiz Long and Prosper event on the
19th at the Clarence Gardens Bowling Club. This last event starts at
7.30pm and requires booking; for more details, and to book, go to
https://ausdwcon.org/fan-clubs/adelaide/quiz/
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 5th September
(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 6th
September (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 2nd
September (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 2nd September (possibly) at Old Shanghai, 123 James
Street, Northbridge, Perth, Western Australia. For details join their
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – or
message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware at gmail.com>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
07) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE REAL ERIC WHEELBRACE
All Discworld readers know of the (presumably) late Eric Wheelbrace, the
celebrated (by hikers) and detested (by landowners) rambler and author
of Walking in the Koom Valley and 100 Walks in the Ramtops, who would
"never let unimportant things like hereditary land rights or troll
armies stand in the way of his Right to Roam" and who finally
disappeared during a Midsummer's Eve walk across Lancre's famous
landmark-cum-interdimensional-gateway known as The Dancers. But did you
know that Mr Wheelbrace was a caricature of an equally celebrated
Roundworld rambler and author? Alfred Wainwright MBE (1907–1991) was a
British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator whose Pictorial
Guide to the Lakeland Fells became the standard reference work to
hundreds of the Lake District fells and whose Coast to Coast Walk guide,
written from his copious notes, delineated a 192-mile-long footpath that
is popular with fellwalkers to this day.
Alfred Wainwright was a dedicated walker even in early childhood, and
had an interest in drawing and cartography that led to him making his
own maps of England and his local area. In 1930 he went on a week's
walking holiday in the Lake District and fell in love with the Fells.
His Pictorial Guides have been in continuous publication since they were
written and have sold more than two million copies. There are more
up-to-date guides now by other authors, but Wainwright's guides are
considered so iconic that the 214 fells described in the Pictorial
Guides are now generally known as the Wainwrights.
When Wainwright died in 1991, his ashes were scattered over Innominate
Tarn on Haystacks, his favourite fell. The Wainwright Society was
founded in 2002 to promote Wainwright fellwalking traditions. A road
bridge in Blackburn, his birthplace, was opened in 2008 and named the
Wainwright Bridge in his honour. There is no evidence of his ever having
found a gateway to the world of Elves on his walks.
Sources: Wikipedia and the L-space Discworld wiki
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
Angua and Gaspode, from Peculiar Productions' triumphant new production
of Men at Arms:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECq1YvMW4AAI-XX.jpg
Some Aziraphale "headshots" by fan artist Remoss:
https://twitter.com/Remosss1/status/1156269983745396736/photo/1
Some excellent furniture in a science fiction bookshop and cafe in
Gothenburg, as tweeted by Nea87585592:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D-yK3_NWkAAFx9w.jpg
Scunthorpe Little Theatre rehearsing for their forthcoming production of
The Fifth Elephant. "Detritus" and his Piecemaker looking quite promising:
https://bit.ly/2Z2RUt1
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
09) CLOSE
Rincewind made a visit to Iowa this month! The public library in Ames,
Iowa, ran their third annual Pub Fiction pub crawl last Thursday: "While
a group of approximately 150 people walking around while dressed in
iconic costumes is typically reminiscent of Halloween, this event is
strictly for people older than 21 years old and goes to support Ames
Public Library. 'I think it's a fun way for people to come together and
celebrate books in a new, exciting and different way. Support the
library, support local businesses and have some fun,' said Sheila
Schofer, director of Ames Public Library... James Honzatko, dressed as
Rincewind the Wizard from Terry Pratchett's 'Discworld' novels, and
Andrew Doyle, dressed as Gregor from Franz Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis,'
both of Ames, said they enjoy having the opportunity to support the
library while also dressing up and having fun..." There are even
iconographs! Read all about it here:
https://www.amestrib.com/news/20190822/pub-fiction-takes-over-downtown-ames
And that's it for August. Mind how you go, and we'll see you next month!
– Annie Mac
This issue can be viewed on the clacks at
https://wossname.dreamwidth.org/72992.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