MORT

MORT The Carlton players 25/04/18 Little Theatre Birkenhead.

I will confess that it was with some trepidation that I accepted the invitation to see this play. I have never been a fan of so called Fantasy Novels etc and had never attempted to immerse myself in works by Terry Pratchett. Needless to say it was entirely different to what I thought it would be and I enjoyed it very much. The play has plenty of humour, Britishness, satire, exploring the causality of the universe, psychology, and sheer awesomenessBarry Prescott the Director is a very talented man in most aspects of the theatre. He is a fine comic/serious actor, a writer who has brought out new insights to Gilbert and Sullivan, a Director of musicals and plays so it should have come as no surprise that he would make a success of this fantasy genre.

Apart from a strong director this play enjoyed an excellent cast. Our eponymous hero Mort was splendidly played by Alexander Breatnach who caught all the uncertainty of the character Mort who has been chosen as Death's apprentice. He gets board and lodging, free use of the company horse, and doesn't even need time off for his grandmother's funeral. His troubles begin when instead of collecting the soul of a princess, he kills her would-be assassin, and changes history. His boss Death sees what he does as straightforward.; Mort is not so sure.

Gareth Crawshaw who plays death was an imposing figure indeed and despite the nature of the role left you with a feeling that he really wasn’t a bad fellow after all; certainly not the “grim reaper” we see on the tarot cards. You just had to sympathise with his situation. Nick Fawdry (Albert) Death’s servant who turned out to be a an incompetent wizard hopefully had some radox to ease his aching back from the bent position he assumed for much of the time. Charles Laughton in the Hunchback of Notre Dame leapt into my mind when he first appeared. Great stuff.

Laura Smith (Ysabel) the Death’s adopted daughter who eventually becomes Mort’s beloved and who has been 15 for 35 years like some ladies I know, came over very well as did Sian Watson (Keli) sometimes referred to as the Queen at other times the Princess and Mike Sanders (Cutwell).

The remainder of the cast showed their considerable versatility by taking on several roles during the course of the play including a talking door knocker and it did not appear odd when they changed costume and role from time to time; it was that kind of play. Loved Death’s “horse” as it “galloped” across the stage.

All in all it was a fine evening’s entertainment and I shall certainly be making a beeline for the library to get a book by T.P. If this play is an example I’m sure it will be full of humour at the very least.

The backstage production team added their usual skills .Well done to every one. Budge

 

 

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