Guards! Guards!

This was Terry Pratchett’s eighth novel in the comedy fantasy Discworld series and the first to be about the Ankh-Morpork City Watch and, as it says in the programme, something of a departure for HDC as sci-fi and fantasy are not areas into which they normally venture. However, they do comedy rather well so, and although not a great Terry Pratchett fan myself (fantasy does somewhat pass me by) I was intrigued to see how HDC tackled it. The answer, in the hands of Director Miles Greves assisted by Jacqui Spencer, it turns out, is rather well.

The plot, for those like me who are unfamiliar, is about a secret monastic order who plots to overthrow the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork and install a puppet monarch under the control of the Order. They summon a dragon to terrorise the city and plan to have the puppet "slay" the dragon and claim to be the lost heir of the defunct royal house. However, despite a corrupt Night Watch their plans are somewhat thwarted with the arrival of an incorruptible new recruit Lance Corporal Carrot and an alcoholic Captain Vimes with much plotting and sub plotting throughout to much amusement. Better and much longer synopses are undoubtedly available!

There are literally dozens of scene changes with short fire scenes so the set designed by the director and under the management of Jules Greves, assisted by Melissa Gibson was quite sensibly minimalistic. Two box flats on either side of the stage to the rear painted as castle style stone walls giving a medieval style setting. For the first scene a door, with a small peephole window was attached hanging aimlessly to one edge, of the stage left flat, where it is amusingly knocked upon in the opening scene. That is then repeated using the stage right box flat. The door is removed at the end of the scene. An extremely funny use of scenery. All the rest of the scenes had various props and furniture, including desks, chairs and lanterns brought on by the very efficient backstage crew. They kept the pace going by often finishing setting the scene as the action started. There was consequently hardly a blip between scenes.  Additionally, to stage right on the apron was a waist high wall behind which the soldiers of the Night Watch played out quite a few of their scenes.

Lighting designed by Adele Meads and operated by Becca Leonard, certainly gave the appearance of the inside of a gloomy castle and was very appropriately quite dark. The appearance of the unseen dragon was cleverly done with a set of coloured lights above the stage slowly flashing on and off. This was accompanied by a low drone through the sound system which was very effective and highly amusing. The clever sound design was by Dean Laccohee.

The well-designed costumes were by Director Miles and Jules Greves, but I think the heroes of this show have to be Assistant Director Jacqui Spencer, Props Assistant Jennie Osborne and Patricia Lines. All the characters dressed as soldiers were costumed in a chainmail appearance, which looked incredibly realistic, but were in fact all hand knitted by Jacqui, Jennie and Patricia. Goodness know how long that took but the effect was well worth it. Great job ladies.

Special mention must also go to cast member Jen Spencer. She adapted the Dragon, Errol, one of Lady Rampkin’s small swamp-dragons from an old dinosaur puppet. Errol assisted Captain Vimes and the Watch in hunting down the large Dragon and (spoiler alert) saved the day by courting her and flying off with her to live somewhere quieter...

What was impressive about this production and what delivers the comedy is the delivery style of Stephen Briggs adaptation of Pratchett’s story. The best way I can describe it is ‘deadpan Monty Python.’ Particularly well demonstrated when the Guards were discussing in a matter of fact style the Dragon attacking Ankh-Morpork.

Some excellent performances all round and great banter particularly between the Guards; Stuart Nunn as Captain Vimes, Richard Betts as the incorruptible Lance Corporal Carrot, Drew Robertson as Corporal Nobbs and Josephine Hussey as Sergeant Colon.

Richard Brown listed as ‘The Librarian’ in the programme was actually bent double, dressed in an Orangutan outfit with bright orange hair and hands. A non-speaking part played entirely with some brilliant comic mime, especially when he turned his back to the audience and hand signalled by patting various parts of his body, an image that will live long in the memory.

The action would periodically freeze, and Jo Travers listed in the programme as ‘The Footnote’ would rush on and in a country yokel style voice would give the audience various footnotes to help unravel the story. Which I have to say to somebody not familiar with the book was quite complicated to follow.

Perhaps the striking image on the stage was Chris Hall who came on periodically as the Grim Reaper, listed in plain English in the programme as ‘Death,’ complete with his familiar Scythe to actually inform those still standing that they were in fact dead.

So well done also to Shellie Collins (Lady Ramkin), Tim Ackerman (Lupine Wonse) Phil Green (Brother Fingers), Stuart Orme (Brother Doorkeeper), Peter Dodds (C.M.O.T), Megan Strickler-Sell (Carrot’s mum), Michelle Gibson (Brother Watchtower), Rhiannon Owens (Brother Plasterer), Eoin Murphy (Brother Dunnykin), Jen Spencer (Urdo Van Pew), Sarah Cornforth (First Citizen), Zoe McKay (Archchancellor) Rosanna Stokes (The Patrician), Hannah Vardy (Zebbo Mooty) and Annapoorna Sabari (Chief Assassin). And finally not to forget the puppet sized green dragon who was actually really quite cute!

So congratulations to Director Miles Greves, (who also designed the excellent programme and the props), the cast and crew for what was a thoroughly entertaining evening. Can’t say it turned me into a Terry Pratchett fan, but I certainly admired the way HDC presented his work.

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