Guards! Guards!

Guards! Guards! A Discworld Play by Stephen Briggs

Director – Laura Ilkiw-Jenkins

Producer – Callum Ilkiw-Jenkins

Stage Manager – Joe Johnson

Chair of Abbey Community Theatre - Bill Horsley

Thank you for the warm welcome last night at The Abbey Centre, Northampton. (Front-of-house Derek Wilson, Bill Horsley et al.)

I feel you all did a great job with this complicated and long script written by Stephen Briggs. There was a large number of parts, and you managed this with some doubling, which worked effectively. Your staging was excellent and well managed. I really enjoyed the set, which featured multi-level elements and modular items added to create numerous places and scenes that enhanced the storyline. (Set build lead - Kevin Johnson).  Laura, as directing goes, you did a good job. A debut role for you and so I shouldn’t be too harsh. Yet I recommend that when taking on any play, you read around the subject. Find out about the author, the original work, the original author, the characters perspective, the way the world in which they live, actually works. As a director I feel you need to confidently understand what the author is trying to convey, to feel the world they are writing about and this is never more important than with fantasy worlds. Only a little research would have improved your production.

The book ‘Guards! Guards!’ as you know, is set on Discworld in the city of Ankh-Morpork and has a complicated plot, a huge variety of events and places mentioned, along with some well-loved characters and indeed species, plus a huge great dragon. Sir Terry Pratchett writes about the human condition, about the gritty real-life reactions to extraordinary situations in a fantasy world. But ultimately, he writes witty, satirical commentary around the imbalance of power and the nature of heroes.  This is often presented as an exploration of what it means to be a hero, questioning the traditional heroic tropes and highlighting the ordinary people who become heroes through unexpected circumstances. Pratchett's heroes are not always idealised, but rather flawed individuals who rise to the occasion, often fighting against injustice and cruelty in a humorous and satirical way. Vimes starts as an alcoholic, and in this particular story, he becomes a reluctant hero, saves the world, and is rewarded with even more work and responsibility. He also meets the love of his life, but that does not become clear until the next ‘Watch’ book, Men at Arms.

I think you did a good job. The scenes were changed smoothly and quickly, well done Joe Johnson, and the rest of the backstage crew. Sound and lights (Laura and Callum Ilkiw-Jenkins) were excellent, you created the dragon and city sounds to immerse your audience. The haze, red lighting, and wing sounds of the dragon were brilliantly done. I would not recommend using LED lights to imitate candles as they are too bright, quite blinding from where I was sitting. Perhaps covering with tissue paper might have dimmed the harshness a little.  I felt the costumes were really lovely, and helped create and de-line the characters. Well done Lynne Yates for pulling these together to create a cohesive look. A few errors for instance only the Assassin’s Guild wear all black, (it’s a question of style!), but this did not detract from the skill you utilised to form the rich and detailed wardrobe. Lynne played Lady Ramkin, Brother Dunnykin on stage and was selling raffle tickets when I arrived, so she has made huge contributions to this production, well done.

Vimes played by John Williams was first rate, as a have-a-go hero and drunk, he led his men into danger and utilised acting with Vimes’s world-weary charm to bring the character to life.  The footnote played by Valerie King was good. Her relaxed gentle style emphasised the importance of the footnote to explain many of the oddities and ideas behind the story. (Valerie also played Carrots Dad, on her knees – hilarious!) The Librarian says Ook! Paul Lister did a masterful job acting the ‘ape’, so I shouldn’t complain, but really! Paul also played the part of DEATH, he should have had blue eyes and spoken in capital letters, but both these ‘skin’ roles were played well.  Mark Pape played his parts well.  CMOT Dibbler and Veterinary are wonderful characters and lots of fun to play. Urbane, intellectual Patrician and con-artist, quick thinker Dibbler create some very humorous moments in this story.  Tyler Marshal played Zebbo Mooty and the Arch Chancellor with ease, (along with Nobby), I enjoyed these characters and feel Tyler really did them justice. Craig Jones played Chief Assassin with skill, but should have worn stylish black. Brother Doorkeeper who he presented really well, and Sargent Colon portrayed with very good comic timing. Craig demonstrated super dexterity and was competent in all these roles. Colin Reay portrayed Brother Plaster, (and servant), Kirsten Mackiewicz played Brother Watchtower, and a variety of other parts, Lilia Viksne brought Brother Fingers (and others) to life; these actors all played their parts well, with the right style and pace which enhanced their scenes well. Voice actors Joe Johnson and Poppy Dawson playing the voices of the King and the Dragon, were cleverly inserted and delightfully enhanced the action. One thing you might have practised more, I felt during the scenes with the dragons, you were not all looking at the same place. Perhaps more practice, or marking places on the back wall, might have brought more realism to these scenes and a better experience for your audience. Something to think about for next time.

Your promotion, website and program are all creative and of a high standard. (Creatives - Tyler Marshall, Poppy and Jack Dawson). I can’t put your program into the NODA competition this time as you have not included all the elements required. Although I enjoyed reading it as you have included a synopsis, words from your director and chair and a list of cast and crew with a warning note about special effects. I am pleased to see you have included information about your chosen charity and contact details for your group. Your poster design, however, can be entered into the NODA East Midlands poster competition and I think you will do well as it is colourful, holds interest and includes the NODA new logo.

Wisdom comes from experience.  Experience is often a result of lack of wisdom. (Terry Pratchett). Please do not take the critical elements of my report too much to heart. I feel you have produced a wonderful evening of entertainment and you all looked like you were enjoying your experience on stage. If you do decide to do another of Stephen Briggs’s Discworld adaptations, which I highly recommend, I would be happy to offer some information and advice if you will let me.  I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you consider it, after all ‘When you need ‘em most, million-to-one chances ALWAYS crop up. Well-known fact.’

Jules Jones

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