A Trip on the Stage is a compilation of dramatised short stories, articles, and snippets from various novels by the late fantasy writer, Terry Pratchett. Unsurprisingly, words and scenes originally penned by Pratchett (creator of The Discworld) are funny, relatable, sharp, and moving. This is the 23rd time Stephen Briggs has adapted Sir Terry’s work for the stage, a reliable mark of consistence and quality which continues with this brand-new compilation.
It was thrilling to see several of Pratchett’s most beloved short stories and sketches brought to life on the stage. The variety effortlessly held the audience’s attention, bringing a cheery light atmosphere to the auditorium. Breaking up the slightly longer tales into smaller sections, interspersing them with different scenes, helped sustain a sense of anticipation and excitement along with maintaining pace effectively. All the anecdotes included outside of the Discworld novels can be found in A Blink of the Screen, a collection of shorter fiction by Terry Pratchett, published in 2012. However, they date back as far as 1963 with the publication of Pratchett’s first story The Hades Business which was penned when he was just thirteen.
From there, the audience embark on a journey through parts of Discworld novels including Guards! Guards, Pyramids and Eric, mingled with various short stories, most, but not all, Discworld related. Highlights included Sea and Little Fishes featuring prominent witches of the Disc, Troll Bridge in which Cohen the Barbarian meets a traditional bridge dweller, A Hard Drive to Believe in Santa (originally published in 1996, predating AI by decades), and Glastonbury Tales a road trip so exquisitely reimagined that it had me roaring with laughter, and instantly reminded me of the car chase in one of Red Dwarf’s best episodes 'Back to Reality'.
As Lord Vetinari and the narrator, Stephen Briggs commands the stage, introducing us to each new act with comfortably reassuring ease. Due to the play’s nature, all the other actors take on numerous distinct roles. I will highlight my favourites here in no particular order, although it was a fun challenge to try and spot different performers in their various parts (this was not necessarily straightforward given some of the costumes)!
Kat Steiner as The Sphinx simultaneously employed powerful control with confusion and an adorable willingness to please. This juxtaposed well with Felix Heaven’s Pteppic, whose quick-witted breakdown of the puzzle put to him felt instinctive and spontaneous.
The payroll processing computer, T.O.M was voiced by Avery Robinson, who affably conveyed amiable robotics, instantly drawing out the audience’s sympathy despite a lack of normal human interaction. Mike Macdonald was faultless as the jolly, yet melancholic Santa. Together, this pairing created one of the most memorable vignettes in the play.
I was incredibly happy to see Kath Leighton and Helen Keely reunited as Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg following their superb casting in Studio Theatre Club’s production of Terry Pratchett’s Witches Abroad last year. They work together like a well-oiled machine, both looking and acting the part of the Disc’s most noted (or should that be ‘notorious’) witches. Granny’s shiver-inducing hard stare matched with Nanny’s pink cheeked warmth is endlessly entertaining. They were accompanied by other witches, including Eleanor Hayden as Winnie Dismass who contrasted the two dominant personalities with her introspective interjections.
Rincewind the wizard is realised by Dan Booth, who wholly embodied his apathetic aversion to trouble and wistful longing for a quiet life. His expressions of exasperated befuddlement were genuinely comical. Hamilton Brown portrayed an exuberant and entitled demonologist, Eric. He maintained impressively high energy throughout the skit.
Other notable wizards included Matt Kirk as Ridcully, the arch-chancellor, and Ben Winters as The Dean of Unseen University. Matt authoritatively mastered the bombastic arch-chancellor, while Ben entertained as the argumentative Dean.
It was a pleasure to hear The Ankh-Morpork National Anthem, lead by the operatic, rousing soprano, Lindsay Rolland. She serenaded the audience with all the gusto and verve of a leading lady at The Last Night of the Proms.
Jon Shepherd conveyed the sneering Grand Master of an Ankh-Morpork Secret Society with exasperated frustration at his rabble of inept Brothers. His scorn was vigorously heightened by the antics of Brother Watchtower, spiritedly enacted by John Kirchhoff.
The play concluded with Jack Brougham’s Cohen the Barbarian and Carl Weston as Mica the troll. Brougham envelops Cohen’s melancholic nostalgia, delivering a contemplative performance with Weston, whose yearning for a bygone age was tangible and provocative.
Having minimal set and props facilitated quick scene changes, keeping momentum up given the action of the play was “all over the place” (to quote the show programme)! The lighting was largely naturalistic, utilising effects and colour at key points. Sound was consistently complementary to the action, featuring popular and classical tunes, both unobtrusively and to add to the humour or evoke other emotive responses in the audience at specific moments.
In keeping with Studio Theatre Club tradition, the costumes were luxurious, with outfits perfectly befitting each character. Some of the most memorable included Rincewind’s “motheaten wizard” look, Cohen the Barbarian’s fur, and skins (with an honourable mention for his majestic horse), Arch-chancellor Ridcully’s glorious robes, the Sphinx, and a whole menagerie of witches and wizards’ hats.
There was a lingering feeling of joviality in the audience after the show finished. Stephen Briggs’ respectful and considered adaptation gifted the audience with a sparkling tribute to a great author. I live in hope that we might see Another Trip on the Stage in the not-too-distant future!